DragonHeart
by Zimithrus1
Summary: Zack Fair is an apprentice blacksmith living in the renaissance age with his uncle, Angeal. However, their lives are anything but ordinary when their entire kingdom has dragons as companions and workers! Zack's world turns upside-down when he realizes he's about to raise a dragon of his very own. CxZ Pair. Also features characters from other Final Fantasy's.
1. Chapter 1

What's up everybody!? Here we are again, another story! Although, if you follow me or know of me on Ao3, then you already know what this story is about! For those that don't, I hope the summary covered it well enough ;) I decided to cross-post this story from Ao3 to here, cause why not? That way my readers here don't think I died! lol! Plus, it gives you ever patient people something to read while I work on my other fics! (I promise I'm still working on them!) I hope you enjoy the story! :)

PS: All the dragons I used are not made up! You can google them if you want a better picture of what they look like ;)

PPS: Based off Tinyjing's Dragon!Cloud. You can find the insperation for it here _(Just be sure to take the spaces out!)_ \- tinyjing. tumblr post/ 138182782002/ a-beautiful-derg

* * *

 **DragonHeart**

 _"Genesis! You let the fire go out again!"_

That was the first thing Zack heard when he was woken up that morning. The young fourteen-year-old peeled away from the warm confines of his hay-stuffed feather-down bed and stretched. His body was slow and sluggish from the sudden wake-up call. His tired eyes pried themselves open with a small amount of force, the lids unable to open all the way. With stiff fingers, he rubbed the last remaining trace of slumber from his eyes and glanced around his room.

Everything sat still in the same places as yesterday; Bookcase shoved against the far wall and tucked snug into the corner. A desk cluttered with inked drawings and notes sat next to the tall shelving unit. Wooden floors, wooden ceiling; the whole nine yards. The window to the right of his bed was casting ray of morning sun through the thick glass panes and washing the bleached wood floor below.

His ears tuned in to hear the sound of annoyed roaring from downstairs, followed by a snort and a huff of the same intensity. A smile curved across his sun-kissed skin as he all but tossed the thick quilt off his body and rose from his bed, not even taking the time to smooth out the wrinkles in his shirt or pants. Zack shuffled past the window, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of his reflection: Chaotically spiked hair sat atop his head with a single strand hanging in his face deliberately and bright sapphire eyes greeted his image in the mirror. Rounded ears twitched when he heard noises and speech from downstairs.

 _"You know all I ask of you is to keep the fire going. I don't see why you can't do that simple task!"_

Cue irritated snorting and snarling following the reprimand. Angeal was already lively this morning, as was Genesis from the sounds of it. Zack quickly left his room via a cracked bedroom door and hurried down the hall. He bounded down the creaky steps of the staircase with pep in his step and a never-ending smile on his face. His bare feet quickly touched down on the first floor of the house, his ears leading him through the domicile. He pushed open a heavy door as the wood changed into cold cobblestone.

The blacksmith workshop. The large room was washed completely in gray and ashen. Multitudes of tools were hung against the walls or against the wooden support beams that held up the second floor of the establishment. Further out of the room was a small venue where their wares were displayed and sold to the general public. But to the left, however, that's where the action was this morning.

Zack stepped away from the door and further into the workshop, his grin growing even wider when he happened upon one of his most favorite sights in the morning. Angeal, his uncle and the blacksmith of the house, was chiding his dragon as per norm. The man's gloves and clothes were already covered in metal shavings, soot, and cinders of the like and his protective brown apron was sullied even further. His welding hammer was tucked tight in his right hand as he glared at the twelve-foot tall dragon lounging about by the furnace. It was almost a wonder that their shop was tall enough to house the mighty beast in any room.

Genesis was a Kazilik breed, a mighty red bodied and black spotted and ringed creature with a harsh temperament and the powers of fire-breathing. His black horns were his most predominant feature, sticking off the top of his head and angled back, his bright yellow eyes glaring into his human's. Normally, this breed had mighty and large wings; but Genesis's were short and squatty, which prevented him from flying like other dragons. This breed was also known for their fiery temper and hot-headed nature. While most people chained their dragons when they worked or helped their humans, Angeal did not. He didn't believe in shackling them like so.

Dragons: They were as common as any other human being. In fact, most dragons had evolved into more humanoid forms, only reverting to their full dragon form to perform certain tasks, or if they felt comfortable around their tamers. One could never be too careful; there were still dragon poachers and hunters out there that would kill to get their hands on a full formed dragon. Not only that, but there were other dragons that liked to feast on the scaly flesh of their brethren. Living in the kingdom of Midgar proved to be beneficial to both human and beast in the long run.

This city was also the most advanced out of all the others on Gaia in the height of their Renaissance age. They had the best army, the best weapons, fertile lands and fruitful crops. Many people flocked to this city on a regular basis to make a comfortable living for themselves. Some were merchants, some soldiers, and the meekest were farmers. All the people had scaly helping-claws in their professions and everyday lives. Everyone had a dragon –well, there was an exception to that rule.

The common folk of Midgar usually had Drakes: small underling dragons that were more related to the common reptile. Those could fly and varied in shapes and color, but possessed no true attributes or powers. However, some drakes could spit cinders in place of fire. They did not possess a human form like the full-bloods either. However, only dragon handlers were given the utmost privilege of caring for and looking after a full-blooded dragon.

Not just anyone could be a dragon handler; one had to be chosen by _fate_. Mainly, those that were chosen to become handlers are strong with the mightiest dreams. These individuals are destined to make even the smallest impact on the commoners or the world for that matter. They say that the chosen ones have the soul of a dragon and the heart of a leader. Those that are able to care for their own full-blooded dragon bear a mark on their right wrist that resembles a dragon's claw.

Handlers were only bred when their chosen dragon egg has been laid. The two are paired for life immediately following the sights of the mark.

Zack wanted nothing more than to be a dragon handler, but he was running out of time. The eve of his fifteenth birthday would fall at the end of this week. He only had four more days for his mark to appear, if it would appear at all.

Genesis broke his heated stare with Angeal and glanced over to where Zack was standing and smiling. The Kazilik breed snorted softly as his eyes softened just enough to pass for warm. The black-haired blacksmith glanced over his shoulder to see what stole his dragon's attention. A smirk pulled at the corners of his lips at the sight of his young nephew.

"Good morning, Zack. Sleep well?" He asked.

"Pretty good. Nice alarm clock today." The teen mused with a toothy smile.

"Ah, so you _did_ hear that…" Angeal muttered uncomfortably as his stained glove ran through his hair in a sheepish fashion.

"I always do!" Zack admitted with a chipper tone. He moved from his spot and further approached the fire-breathing dragon, holding out his right hand as he ran it over the red scales on the thick snout. "Morning, Genesis!" He greeted.

The dragon snorted softly through his nostrils as a purred growl rumbled around in his thick throat. He puffed a tiny trail of smoke from his nose as well.

"So, did he let the fire go out again?" Zack asked as he glanced behind him to make eye-contact with his thirty-one year old uncle, petting the dragon for a little bit longer.

"Of course he did." Angeal responded as he remembered to put his hands back on his hips and adopt a stern look.

Genesis didn't like the look and growled loudly, yanking his head away from Zack's hand as his forked tongue slashed out of his long snout. He puffed charcoal gray smoke from his throat as a warning that he was about to blow cinders.

"Quit throwing a temper tantrum and just light the fire, will you? I still have three more custom orders to complete before noon!" The blacksmith huffed, using his right hand to motion to the unlit furnace.

The red and black-spotted dragon growled in a loud and whiny tone before it spit a large fireball into the furnace. He scorched the cement and the stone floor around it into a smoky black color, but the fire was blazing bright.

" _Thank you!_ Now was that so hard?" Angeal remarked as he stepped forward and agave a few pats to Genesis's smoking snout.

The dragon huffed once through his nostrils, but otherwise remained silent with bored yellow eyes.

"Zack, put your apron on, you're going to help me with these orders." The blacksmith directed as he motioned over to the sizzling and crackling furnace.

"Sure thing!" The raven-haired teen chirped.

He nodded his head before he scurried to the other side of the workshop. Sitting idly on a metal rack was his own apron. It was similar to his uncle's save for the fact that his was black instead of brown. He pulled the thick material from the hook and donned the cover, tying it in the back to keep it from flapping about. He wasn't sure about being a blacksmith to be honest. It was a good way to make a nice living and be able to work with weapons, but it's not what Zack really wanted to do.

He wanted to join the Dragon Army, which was a branch in the military that specialized in synchronized combat with beast and man together; riding through the skies, being a skilled warrior, and protecting the kingdom from danger. He wanted to be as good a fighter as Cid Highwind; the Army's top fighter with his Fleur-de-Nuit dragon, Vincent. Oh, imagine if he could gain his mark and hatch a beast such as that! Those magnificent deep-blue and black dragons may be nocturnal by nature, but they have night-vision and made one of the best fighting breeds in all of Gaia!

Zack shook his head to regain control over his thoughts again. He couldn't fantasize about that, he wasn't even sure if he'd gain his mark by the eve of his fifteenth birthday. He cut back across the cobblestone floor towards the furnace again, pausing in a different spot where an anvil and spare hammer sat. He rolled up his long sleeves and adjusted his protective apron, ready to go. Angeal came over with a broken broadsword, the metal snapped clean near the hilt of the blade.

"This is just a standard repair, putting the two halves back together. Look here-" Angeal explained before pointing to the clean break near the hilt of the blade, "This is a clean break, which means what?"

"Uhh…" Zack drawled, his eyes as blank as his mind. He remained like that for a few moments before the answer lit up in his head and shone in his eyes like a metaphorical light-bulb. "It means we can mend it without any spare steel, just some heat and welding!" He supplied as he slapped his right fist into his left hand.

"Right. Now how do we go about fixing a standard break?"

"Um, Oh! You heat up the two pieces with some fire and use a hammer to mend the two shards back together again!"

"Very good." Angeal commented with a faint smirk.

He placed the two fragments against the large anvil, pushing them together until the split was nearly undetectable. He glanced over his shoulder and towards his lazy dragon. "Genesis, heat." He directed.

The Kazilik dragon snorted, muttering some sort of complaint in reptilian tongue before he regretfully stretched his long neck out and hovered over the piece of broken steel, complying with the request with an unnecessary amount of attitude and spite. Zack backed off from the heat of the blast with a wicked grin and a softly exclaimed 'woah'. Angeal gave his dragon a narrowed glare before he started to hammer the molten hot fragments back together. The fourteen-year old apprentice watched with rapt attention, for the most part. He was into it for the first two minutes before he got bored of watching the same repetition of 'fire and hammer' over and over.

His distracted sapphire eyes glanced out towards the open venue area of the shop. He could see their wares scintillating in the morning sunshine and the way the shadows underneath their off-red awning pulsed gently against the ground. He could see a few people walking about the marketplace outside the open area from his spot further inside the workshop. He could see the vendor across from their establishment, Steiner, selling armor. Often time his uncle and the former knight sent their customers to the other and recommended each other's products and merchandise. Steiner had a small drake that helped him out with his own shop; a feisty little cinder-spitter called Pluto. He could see the black-colored beast parading around on the counter while his owner sold his wares to the passerby's.

His distracted mind even started playing out scenarios of what he would do if he was lucky enough to become a dragon handler like his uncle. He thought about hatching a mighty Grand Chevalier; one of the largest and most powerful dragons there was, colored with gray and brown scales and a pale belly. A mighty fighter that was intimidated by none. He thought about hatching a majestic and gigantic Xenica; A dragon with marbled orange and black wings, kind of like a butterfly. Imagine that marvelous beast tailing him around in dragon form, he'd be talk of the whole kingdom! Not to mention there'd be no way in all of Ifrit's seven Hells he _wouldn't_ get a spot in the Army!

He couldn't picture himself hatching something small and simple like a Winchester or a Greyling. Those small silver-colored things were only good for riding around on your shoulders and being more annoying than anything else. But at least those made good hunters and could still net him a position in the Dragon Army. Maybe not in the direct branch he desired, but he'd still manage to get in with a hunter or a carnivore as his dragon. Omnivores could even get in.

Herbivores, no way. He did _not_ want a herbivore if he were to get a dragon of his own. Those docile grass-eaters were practically incapable of battle and their special attributes weren't suited for fighting at all. Besides, there was only _one_ herbivore that ever got into the Army, and that was over one-hundred years ago and there hasn't been another one ever since. Ifalna had been her name, and her dragon was a brown-bodied, marbled-winged Berghexe named Aerith.

The only reason why that duo had made it in was because Aerith had special healing abilities that were rare for her breed, or any breed in particular for that matter. So those two were more of a medical branch that healed the injured while in battle. But no other herbivore breed has possessed healing powers like that ever since.

Herbivores were just useless.

"…Zack!" Angeal's voice suddenly boomed, causing the unfocused teen to jump in place and turn startled eyes to his uncle. "Were you listening to _anything_ I was saying?"

"Huh, what?" Zack hummed, his right eyebrow arching as he tried to think.

The head blacksmith exhaled loudly and shook his head in an exasperated manner. Genesis, however, was chuckling gruffly. His glowing yellow eyes were alight in amusement as his whole red and black-spotted frame bounced from the chuckles that sounded more like soft gags.

"Genesis, don't encourage him!" Angeal scolded as he lightly flicked the tip of his dragon's snout right in between the nostrils.

The fiery beast whined and shook his head from the sting the small strike had brought. He narrowed his eyes and snorted roughly, blowing smoke at his handler's face as the amused look all but left his eyes. He coughed a bit and waved the smoke from him with a near repulsed look on his face.

"Sixteen years later and you're still as stubborn as the day you hatched." Angeal chuckled.

Genesis straightened up, holding his head high with closed eyes. He was proud of his hard-headedness -ever the egotistical one.

"Too bad your wings are stubby. Making deliveries would be a snap." The blacksmith sighed, tracing a gloved finger over the velvety skin of said appendage.

Genesis snorted loudly and started to heave heavily as charcoal gray smoke billowed out of his mouth and nose. He was very sensitive about his small, flightless wings and didn't like it when they were pointed out. A few cinders fell from the tip of his tongue and decorated the cobblestone in a blaze of faint orange before it decayed to ash. Zack and Angeal were waving smoke from their faces and coughing it back up when they breathed too deep.

"Sorry, sorry! You know I'm not making fun of you!" The handler apologized, waving his hands in front of him submissively. "I'm just saying it'd be easier on Zack since he always makes the deliveries!"

"Sure, drag me into it so he can get mad at _me_ and not _you_." Zack mused with an arched eyebrow and a flat voice.

That was enough to get Genesis to stop fuming smoke and cinders and cool off. He righted his stance on his hind legs, puffing his chest out and turning his head up mockingly to the humans beneath his towering frame. He flicked his spiked tail from side to side, much like a feline. In many ways, he acted just like an overgrown house cat; thinking he ruled the roost and everything was done for him.

Those two were polar opposites in personality. In fact, most handlers and their dragons were always different from the other. It kept the two from ever growing annoyed or bored with a being that was almost exactly like them. It added sugar to the spice, or in the case of his uncle and his Kazilik, fire to the ice.

"Speaking of deliveries. There's one I need you to make this morning." Angeal recalled, snapping his fingers together from the memory.

"But Angeal, it's _Sunday!_ We don't usually make deliveries on the _weekends_!" Zack whined, grabbing onto his uncle's arm as if he was going to be pried away.

"It's an order filled for the Dragon Army. I figured you'd like to deliver it and maybe take a look around the facility? But if you don't want to then I guess I can-"

"The _Dragon Army?_ Well jeeze, Angeal! Why didn't you say so sooner? Where's the order at?" Zack gasped, changing his tune to a completely different beat.

"I figured you'd want to go." Angeal spoke with a smile.

He stepped away from the anvil and sauntered over to the far wall to the left where a large work-desk was cluttered with steel scraps and side projects. In the middle of the table lay a very large tan satchel that had to at least be three by five feet. With a small amount of effort, the blacksmith hoisted the bag from the table with the strap securely tucked away into his fist. When a good grip had been established, he spun on his heel and rounded back to his nephew.

"Now this bag is a little heavy. Can you lift it on your own?" Angeal inquired, holding the large satchel out for the teenager to take.

"Please! How weak to you think I-" Zack was abruptly cut off when he took the bag with one arm, then went crashing down to the workshop floor in a matter of seconds.

"I thought so. I'll have Genesis go with you. He's familiar with the castle's layout anyways." The blacksmith hummed.

The dragon still sitting near the anvil huffed through his nostrils gently, a silent way of agreeing without much fuss. It beat keeping the fire lit almost every waking moment of the day.

"No, it's okay, I can totally…" Zack started, trying to work both arms under the bag in order to lift it.

He made a few stained struggling grunts and exclamations, but made no further progress in lifting the bag full of special order military blades.

"Zack, let Genesis help you. You can still look around the facility. Besides, I think my dragon is in need of a break and some fresh air." Angeal pressed. When speaking of his beast, he gave a few pets to the Kazilik's scaly snout.

Genesis gave his handler an affectionate growl with soft yellow eyes, nuzzling his snout further into the gentle touch. When the gloved hand pulled away, the dragon leaned back to sit on his hind legs, his other set dangling in front of him like a sloppy human imitation. A soft orange light then shimmered off those red and black scales, scintillating brightly even in the ashy atmosphere of the blacksmith shop. He was soon washed in the pale orange light, his large form disappearing with ease.

In a matter of seconds, there he stood in his humanoid form. He was garbed in red and black attire much like the coloration of his scales. His shirt was black with red long sleeves, and his pants and accompanying boots were of the same obsidian hue. Brunette hair with soft red highlights sat atop his human head. His eyes were still glowing a fierce yellow, save for the fact that there was now a milky green ring around his cat-slit pupils. He lacked ears but in its stead, his long horns were firmly in place and his thick red and black-ringed tail swayed behind him, those spikes still present and still very sharp looking.

The humanoid dragon stepped over and claimed the bag from Zack, lifting it with a single arm as if it was the lightest thing in the world. The teenager quickly scrambled to his feet and dusted his hands off, followed by his pants.

"I totally could have done that." He uttered in the guise of a cough.

"Well, if you want to deliver that order soon, I suggest you change clothes and head out." Angeal reminded, running a hand through his nephew's hair briefly.

"Right! Be back in a flash!" Zack chirped.

With those parting words, he bolted towards the back door of the workshop in order to get back to his room. His footing was poor and sloppy as he clumsily dashed through the living room and even up the stairs. He almost tripped for a total of six times before he finally burst into his bedroom. He scurried over to his short dresser under his window and yanked open the top drawer.

If he was going to the Dragon Army, he needed to look his best. The Army was housed inside of Shin-Ra castle and the grounds were always full of merchants, generals, and nobles of the like. He couldn't look like a street rat! So he pulled out his nicest outfit and proceeded to change into it immediately. The long-sleeved gray shirt fit him loose as if it was something of his uncle's, but his charcoal gray tunic fit his ever growing frame snugly. Not to mention the red chain crossed over the front and the sleeves gave it some kind of nobility.

He fumbled with the belt around the waist of the long shirt before making the necessary adjustments near the hem. His pants matched the same color of his undershirt and were probably his most comfortable pair. To pull it all together, he slipped on his calf-high boots and did an experimental bounce in them to make sure they fit him right. When he was dressed and ready to go, he bolted right out of his room and flew down those creaky wooden steps as fast as his feet would let him. He scurried across the living room and right back into the workshop. He saw Angeal adjusting the bag over his humanoid dragon's right shoulder. A gloved hand went through those bright russet-colored locks.

"Be alert, stay safe, and keep an eye on the rascal." He informed before he pulled his hand back to his side.

"Of course." Genesis spoke, nodding his head as his tail faintly swished behind him.

Zack was always at a loss for words when he saw a humanoid dragon both speak and understand human speech. They learn it just like humans do; through repetition and praise. Genesis's vocabulary was astounding, especially noting that when he had first hatched, his uncle spent most of his time teaching his fledgling how to speak human and understand it. The beast even had a love for prose and poems of the like, reading it as well as he could speak it.

They could not speak in human while in full dragon form though, so the teenager could never understand the Kazilik like that, his uncle could though. Dragons and their handlers could communicate telepathically. It's a skill that comes with earning your mark. If Zack had a dragon to call his own, he'd teach it how to speak human too.

"Ready?" Genesis huffed, glancing over his shoulder to direct his inquiry to the teen.

"You bet!" Zack exclaimed, bounding over to the human-dragon's side. He still towered over him by another foot or so. The raven-haired boy glanced behind him and threw a, "See you later!" over his shoulder before he and the humanoid opened a door near the open venue of their shop.

"I should have lunch ready by the time you get back, so don't take too long!" Angeal called.

When the door fully opened, early afternoon light washed into the establishment before the teen glanced behind him and flashed his uncle a thumbs-up. Then they stepped out and closed the door behind them. Zack held up his arm and pressed it against his forehead to shield the sunshine from his poorly adjusted eyes. Genesis was quick to adapt, his slits narrowing even thinner as he glanced about the marketplace. Once the teenager adjusted, he did the same.

People were bustling about this warm and sunny spring day. Women and children were standing about a few vendors and buying fresh produce. A few men were bartering with some carpenters about lowering their prices, they were failing miserably. Zack could hear Steiner's loud voice over the hustle and bustle, suggestively selling his wares and offering deals and lowered prices. Smoke drifted lazily out of a few brick chimneys to intermingle with the mid-March air, tinting the clear blue with smoky gray. A farmer walked past with a squeaky wooden cart full of caged chickens and a hog or two, the animals clucking and squealing in their wooden confinements. The scent of fresh vegetables and spices drifted through the wind just like the smoke.

The marketplace was always busy and lively. It was the best one in the kingdom and situated on the first tier of the city, right below Castle Shin-Ra. Midgar was composed of three tiers aside from the castle. The Shin-Ra manor was in the center of the kingdom on its own massive platform. Underneath that was the first tier, where most of the businesses and higher wealth citizens lived and bartered. The second row was right below the first, each layer connected by stairs to the north, east, south, and west, of the large kingdom. The second level was comprised of the middle and working class while the last tier was half for the poor in the suburbs while the other half was for the humble farmers that needed large acres of land. It was a fairly ruled kingdom and was peaceful as ever, even with their dragon companions.

"Alright, let's go!" Zack cheered as he bounded ahead to lead the way to the castle.

Genesis followed behind with a silent roll of his eyes, keeping an even pace with the exuberant teen. He readjusted the satchel thrown over his left shoulder to evenly distribute the weight, even if it wasn't much for him. His tail swaying behind him helped maintain balance in his human form. He glanced ahead of him to see his master's kin walking ahead with a spring to his step. He observed that while Zack was normally a peppy individual that got distracted too much for his own good, today he had a different aura. He was pulsing with joy and excitement and had his mind set on his destination. If he honed in that wild side, he'd make a fantastic leader. The dragon could sense this much about his handler's kin.

They maneuvered through the marketplace with relative ease, stepping around other people and making sure not to disturb the common folk or the farmers that were not used to the market. Genesis had almost all eyes on him, noting that he was a humanoid dragon with his predominant horns sticking out in lieu of human ears. While drakes were rather common, a dragon was a different story. After all, not everyone could tame and care for a full-blood, especially a Kazilik breed. Those particular beasts were the most temperamental and angry strains out of all the dragons in the world. Taming one of those was never easy and was rumored to be near impossible. How Angeal tamed Genesis was beyond Zack's comprehension.

The dynamic duo emerged from the marketplace and further into the first tier of the kingdom where more of the residential area presided. They just had to make it to the large steps that connected each platform and ascend them in order to reach Castle Shin-Ra. When Zack paused to glance up, he could already see the mighty building looming over the land and scarping the sky above. The colossal gray and ashen bricked structure was both a beacon of hope for the commoners and a signal for a better life for other-world people. The vast building had so many chambers, dungeons, and rooms that it was very easy to get lost inside it.

In fact, the Dragon Army was a branch near the east wing of the castle, facing the Midgarian seas towards the northern continent. The Dragon Hatchery was also inside the castle near the south towards the perilous mountains behind their kingdom. That's where all their dragon eggs and beasts of the liked descended from. In fact, it was one of the only mountains in all of Gaia that contained the monumental creatures. The only other sierras to contain drakes and dragons were Mount Nibel and Wutai. Many years ago, every mountainside used to be filled with drakes and dragons, but also two middle breeds known as Wyverns and Wyrms.

Wyverns were like a mix of bird, reptile, and dragon. They had no front arms and were bipedal creatures. They just had claws on their massive wings and talons on their feet. They possessed horns and long tails like their brethren, but were much smaller. Wyrms were the opposite of their younger class. They retained no hind legs and only had arms and claws. They wriggled on the ground like snakes and had enormously long horns atop their heads.

However, those middle breeds flourished in a period that was terrified of mighty beasts. The drakes and dragons were mostly left alone due to the fact they never came down form the mountain unless to feed, while the middle classes never stayed in the sierras and always plagued the human villages below. Therefore, the humans had wiped them all out to extinction. The drakes were untouched, but rumors about obtaining a dragons horns soon circulated through the air, claiming if you slew a beast and claimed its horns, your deepest wish would be granted. Now, only three mountains remained where dragons lived their natural lives.

So now in an age where drakes and dragons were cherished and kept like extravagant pets or helpers, they were protected in certain cities with certain laws. The kingdom of Midgar was one of those.

"Check it out! There it is!" Zack exclaimed, pointing in the direction they were going.

Genesis glanced up with a gentle huff, noting they were now in front of the massive beige-stoned staircase to lead them to Castle Shin-Ra. A few nobles and humble merchants were making their way up and down the steps and conversing with one another. The females giggled while the males turned their heads to watch them descend while they ascended.

"Wow! This is so exciting! Come on, Genesis!" Zack twittered, jogging in place for a moment before sprinting towards the stairs.

The Humanoid Kazilik huffed again and rolled his glowing yellow eyes. He followed after his handler's kin at a close distance, but not nearly as enthusiastically as the young teen. He was used to this sort of behavior after all. He had been around two years longer than the human and had seen him grow along with his master.

He had been a giddy boy and excited about dragons since day one. From the first moment Genesis laid eyes on him as an infant, he had seen those sapphires light up like fireworks and felt those grabby hands grope his snout and run over his scales. Even as he grew into a child he was still close to both his handler and himself. He was always wanting to play with him or pet his scales or ride on his back. At first, Genesis couldn't stand that hyper and grabby child. But he grew on him like his handler had done once before. It ended up becoming nice to have two people around him that could tolerate his outbursts, handle his fits, and still think highly of him as both a good companion and a mighty beast.

Even if Zack was relatively annoying, he cared for him like he did his master. He'd protect them both with his life it if boiled down to it. He only stopped walking when he suddenly ran into something. He snorted and glanced around in front of him, wondering what he had bumped into. But his surprised huff turned into an annoyed growl when he realized it was Zack.

The teen had stopped walking and was standing in front of the castle gates hesitantly. There were two imperial guards in front of him, blocking their path with respective drakes perched or draped around their shoulders with narrowed eyes.

"State your business here." The armor-cloaked guard on the right demanded.

"Uh, well, you see, me and my dragon, well, he's not mine per say, he's my uncle's, but we-"

Genesis rolled his eyes before he decided to spare the teen from further embarrassment. "We've come on behalf of a special order to the Dragon Army from Hewley's Blacksmith shop." He stated firmly.

"Oh! Pardon us then! Go right on through!" The one on the left apologized before they stepped away from the gates. Even their drakes purred softly and softened their eyes.

"Phew! Thanks Genesis!" Zack acknowledged with a sheepish smile and a beet red blush.

"Just don't expect me to do it again." The Humanoid Kazilik snorted.

"Right! Okay, _now_ let's go!" The teen called, regaining his former pep as he strolled into the castle.

The great hall was lavished with long and beautiful flags and banners: some had the Shin-Ra name and others were depicted with dragons and swords. Lavish red carpet sprawled and stretched under their feet, trailing across the marble-beige floor like a trail marker. Columns and archways decorated the hall colored in cream and ivory with intricate patterns carved into them. Massive stain-glass windows in rainbow colored painted the floor with all kinds of glossy hues against the marble. At the end of the hall there lay a massive fountain carved in limestone. A dragon-head was carved into the wall above and spouting clear water from its snout into the fountain below.

Zack bounded up to the large structure and peered over the smooth ledge, glancing at his reflection in the clear water. A few white and pink water lilies floated by and distorted the image, rippling it through the pool and making the water glisten like diamonds when the light hit it just right. The young teenager dipped his index finger into the cool water and traced invisible patterns into them, smiling softly as he did so.

Genesis appeared in his rippled reflection, gazing into the distorted image himself before huffing gently to remind the boy why they were here. Zack pulled away from the fountain with a bigger smile on his face before he glanced to his left and right where the hall split in two.

"Aright, so if the Army is towards the east, then it'd make sense if we went to the right." Zack deduced before he bounded away from the fountain and lead the way again.

Genesis followed behind with his trademark huff and puff, keeping quiet. He had been to the castle before, but that had been many years ago when he was only a hatchling. He remembered all of the halls, rooms, and corridors of the palace. If the teen were to stray, he could guide him in the correct direction.

But he hated those memories, and for good reason too.

He shook his head with a rougher snort, a thin trail of light gray smoke billowing from his nostrils. He still had to be on his best behavior for now, so he sucked the smoke back up before the teenager could catch wind of both the sight and scent. They traversed down long halls, backtracked thrice when Zack wandered in the wrong direction, and flew through each similar looking corridor swiftly.

Eventually, they broke through the front of the castle and ended up in the east garden. Across from the diverse flora and lush greenery lay the massive branch of the Dragon Army. It was shaped and styled much like the rest of the castle, save for the fact that there was a life-sized statue of a Regal Copper atop the roof; which was the largest dragon breed to ever roam the earth. Maybe not the rarest, but certainly the biggest. There were some gardeners currently tending to the flowers and the large sycamore trees that lined their cobblestone path to the other branch.

Zack clapped his hands together before taking off towards the massive chamber. Genesis adjusted the satchel on his shoulder before following after obediently. While he was out, the teen was his responsibility, his handler made that clear. They cut across the opulent garden across their straight-lined path, passing by the humble servants of the castle with only brief glances or quick 'how do you do's'. When they stopped in front of the large wooden doors, a firm push was all it took to get them to cave in and open with a low and long groan.

This branch was almost one big dome shaped building. There were a few other rooms and halls branching off in either direction where most of the military's top dragons were kept, save for a large wooden gate that Zack knew lead towards the Midgarian seas. That was one of the best things about the Dragon Army; the handlers and the beasts got to live in Shin-Ra Castle free of charge. The others were kept closer to the hatchery, where they had their own sections and sectors built for their specific breed requirements. The teenager spun around in a circle, taking in all of the sights and sounds the building had to offer.

"Who goes?" A smooth and serpentine voice called, the sound bouncing off the large dome and echoing all around.

Both Zack and Genesis turned to their right where a figure could be seen exiting one of the many halls in the main room. The apprentice's jaw dropped when his eyes displayed to him who had called and who was now standing in plain sight.

Sephiroth: General of the Dragon Army. Not only was he the general, but he was a dragon himself. He was the only city-bound dragon within the entire kingdom that did not possess or need a handler, he handled himself. He could tell that from the ears that decorated the sides of his thin face and the white tail that trailed behind him that he was a dragon. Those white wing-like ears were from a celestial dragon no doubt; the rarest dragon breed of all.

He was cloaked in a black trench coat with slim fitting pants and calf-high boots, looking just like a mighty general should. His long silver hair framed his face and trailed down his back, the length reaching to the backs of his knees with unpracticed ease. This was the first time Zack had ever seen him in person and was struck silent from that alone. From his right, he could see Genesis quickly bow and growl softly. Sephiroth was also the alpha of all the handled dragons and drakes in the kingdom. When it boiled down to it, they answered to him over all else in times of pure peril.

"What is your business here, mortal and Kazilik?" Sephiroth inquired, taking long strides over to where they stood.

Celestial dragon's had some amazing powers of knowledge, that was for sure. The general probably knew of every dragon and their handler within the whole kingdom. But then again, there weren't a very large number of them anyways. By this time, Genesis rose from his bow and silently held out the satchel towards the taller humanoid dragon.

"Ah, we've come on behalf of an order from Hewley's blacksmith shop. We've brought some special order blades for the Army." Zack responded swiftly as he gestured to the satchel his uncle's dragon held out.

Honestly, he was a little nervous. It's not every day one gets to meet the General of the Dragon Army, and a humanoid Celestial at that! The way those glowing chartreuse green eyes bore through him made him swallow thick. He had to keep reminding himself to stand up straight and speak with confidence. He couldn't look like a stumbling idiot like he had done in front of those imperial guards at the front gate!

Then Sephiroth's tight and strict face softened as the faintest of grins slithered by. His eyes seemed less intense and much more open and readable.

"Ah yes." He responded. "Hewley always has fine work. Punctual as always, even on a Sunday." He added as he took the offered satchel and peered inside.

As the General peered inside, Genesis provided commentary on what was inside, "There are three custom ordered broadswords, two lances, and four short swords. My master was kind enough to throw in something extra for the Alpha." He stated.

Sephiroth pulled out a four-foot sheath cloaked in midnight navy with gold embroidery near the top edge. There was a jingling charm tied to it, printed with a symbol that had to be dragonian text.

"It is a length-concealing sheath, I see. Very kind of your handler to add this to my order. What do I owe you and him for this generosity?" The general inquired, glancing up from the sheath and towards the other humanoid dragon.

"He stated it was on the house. The actual order is four-thousand Gil, though. He took off on the price since two of those were just for repairs." Genesis specified.

"Wait a sec here. General Sephiroth, do you often order from my Uncle's shop?" Zack asked quickly, curiosity and wonder brimming in his sapphire eyes.

"I do. I have been since he first started his blacksmith profession. I suppose you could say we have a history together. Judging from your statement, I assume you are the fabled nephew to my personal smithy?" Sephiroth responded, a bit of a warmer grin trailing across his face.

Zack's hands instantly went to cover his mouth as if he was a female that had done something shocking. He was at a loss for words right now. His uncle had ties to the mighty General Sephiroth and was his personal, hand-picked blacksmith! Just think! His uncle forged swords _personally_ for both the General _and_ the Dragon Army!

"Stop your idolizing and answer his question already." Genesis huffed before he smacked the awestruck teen upside the back of his head.

"Uh, y-yes! I'm Angeal's nephew, Zack!" The young man quickly introduced, feeling the need to give a quick bow for acting improper.

"It is nice to finally meet you in the flesh. I have heard good things about you from sir Hewley. I can also tell you possess a great untapped potential." Sephiroth noted.

About this time, an average guard approached the general and received the swords from him, dropping to the floor with a cry of surprise instantly from the weight of the blades. His presence went further unnoticed however, save for a humorous chuckle from Genesis. The guard took the blades from the satchel and handed it back to the silver-haired man before dragging the heavy blades away, the Kazilik dragon watching with an amused smirk.

"I do?" Zack inquired, pointing to himself with his index finger.

"Indeed. I sense a strong will in your aura, as well as many leadership qualities and a good heart. Do you happen to be in possession of a Dragon Mark?" Sephiroth queried gently.

"N-Not really. I want to have one really bad though. I just hope it shows up within four days, otherwise I'll never get one." The teenager admitted bashfully as he glanced down at his scuffed black boots and ruffled his hair with his hand.

"Hmm. I would not worry too much. My intuition as both a dragon and a general informs me you will get what you desire."

"Really? Thank you, General!" Zack chirped.

Sephiroth smirked at the young man before he handed the now empty tan satchel back to Genesis, whom took it with a nod of his head.

"With that, I must depart. Farewell, Genesis and Zack. May the odds forever be in your favors." The General responded before he gave a small bow and turned away.

"You too!" Zack called as he waved goodbye while the humanoid dragon walked away and disappeared from sight.

Once he had vanished completely, the teenager exhaled loudly as a smile stretched across his face. He hoped the General was right about him possessing great potential and possibly a Dragon Mark. He'd be happy if he just got a dragon by this point. Although, the idea of getting a herbivore was still a little unsettling since those dragons didn't get a spot in the Army unless they were an exception. But still, to have one would be amazing! He could call it whatever he wanted and care for it and train it to do the coolest things! It was his greatest wish to become a Dragon Handler.

"Are we done here? Or are you going to stand there and stare into space?" Genesis puffed.

"Oh, right! Yeah, let's get back so we can eat!" Zack remembered, a large smile carved across his face at the prospect of getting some lunch.

He spun on his heel and hurried to the doors, going as fast as he could. He opened up those groaning doors and burst into the warm afternoon sunshine. A few birds twittered in their respective trees, a few of them even taking flight into the clear blue sky. Zack wanted to get back home as soon as possible! Angeal's cooking was phenomenal! So much so that you didn't want to be late and miss the fact that the food was nice and warm. It was almost dishonorable to be late to eat what he prepared.

"I may not be able to fly, but I still know a much faster way." Genesis commented as he stepped in front of the exuberant teenager.

Zack was just about to ask what that way was, but it was answered for him when he saw that familiar orange light envelop his body as it had done before. He had to shield his eyes when the glow became too harsh to look at head on. By the time the light dissipated and he removed his arm from his face, Genesis stood on all fours in his full Kazilik breed form with his stubby wings stretched out and his stance rigid and proud.

A few gardeners gasped from their respective spots among the flora and a few looked to them in awe or adoration, but Zack was all grins by that point. He almost never got to ride around on the dragon's back, so it was a treat whenever he did get to. Even if the dragon couldn't fly, just being on a dragon while they ran around was fun enough! Genesis lowered his head against the ground in order for his handler's kin to climb aboard. The black-haired man was quick to accept the silent invitation and slid against the base of the beast's neck, sitting on his shoulder blades right above his ten-foot wingspan.

Once he was secure, Genesis sprang up, sailing through the air for a moment before his claws grappled onto the main tower of Shin-Ra castle. Dragons couldn't damage the castle unless they either used their fire, wind, or other attributes. The outer walls of the castle were heavily reinforced so the dragons around the castle and even in the Army could get some exercise and fresh air by using some of the towers as a giant jungle gym.

He climbed up the sturdy tower while Zack kept his arms secured around Genesis's neck. His stubby wings were used to support the teen as he climbed a little higher. He couldn't have the young one slip off and fall to his death now could he? He maneuvered around the tower skillfully with his front and hind talons, making sure his short wings were cradling Zack's frame at all times. It'd be funny to psyche him out with a little pretend trust fall for a few hundred feet, but he didn't need a lecture from his master. After all, dragons and their masters had strong bonds and could communicate telepathically.

He leaped from the main tower and onto a skinnier one, claws grabbing hold easily while the teen was laughing and whooping with excitement. He could barely even remember the last time he went tower-hopping with Genesis. However, his elation soon slipped into something else when a sharp pain erupted throughout his whole right arm. He let out a cry of pain and instinctively let go of the dragon's neck. He started to fall back against the force of gravity, but Genesis's wing-shield kept him from falling to his death.

Zack cradled his arm against his chest while the other one rested over it, his face distorted from pain. Genesis stopped scaling the tower and glanced behind him with an alarmed screech, angry at first for the teen knowing he wasn't supposed to let go. But that turned into a concerned growl and his neck craned further behind him to allow a closer look.

When another wave of excruciating pain rang through his arm like a recoil from a shotgun blast, Zack bit back a cry and curled the afflicted arm tighter to his chest. His body started to curl in on itself as he tried to keep from crying out. As soon as Genesis realized the young one was in pain, he let out a determined hiss and wrapped him tighter in his wings, making them into a cocoon so he could focus on speed. He swiftly scaled down the tower, hopping to shorter ones with great dexterity and skill. Once he made it to the front of the castle, he jumped down from the main tower and landed on all fours in front of the palace gates. The guards in front of them let out surprised cries and fell down from the shock-waves the twelve-foot tall dragon brought. He quickly scurried down the steps, his movement similar to that of a snake zigzagging through the tall grass.

He jumped from the stairs when the first tier of the city was close enough. He scaled down the walls quickly as his wings always remained secure. From over his own hasty descent and a few alarmed gasps from the common folk, he could hear Zack grunting and moaning in pain. He didn't understand, why would whole arm be hurting like it was? Genesis shook his head and let out a warning screech when he touched down to the first tier in the marketplace.

That got the stragglers and the occasional passersby to move out of his way hastily and with frightened gasps or cries.

" _Rampaging dragon! Rampaging dragon in the marketplace!_ " One of the vendors screamed as Genesis scurried through the narrow streets. Narrow for him, wide for mortals.

The general public was alight with cries and anxious pants by that point. Mothers were carrying their children to safety while the little ones cried. The merchants ducked into their venues with a startled exclamation as well, trying to keep away from the rampaging beast. When Genesis could see his handler's shop, he started letting out loud and alarmed screeches to lure him outside.

In his enhanced field of sight, he saw Steiner look up with shock and confusion, but not fright like the others. He could also hear the former knight yell across the street from over the panicked cries of the commoners taking shelter.

" _Angeal! Something's wrong with your dragon! He's rampaging in the marketplace!_ "

Rampage was right, mortals! Genesis had to make sure Zack would be okay! He was still his responsibility for the moment. He could still hear the young one moaning from his winged cocoon and it was only making him more upset. He was mad because he didn't know what was causing this or why. He hoped his handler would be able to figure it out.

By the time he screeched to a halt in front of the blacksmith shop, Angeal had all but left in a hurry. His face was firm and stern as he quickly approached his dragon.

" _Genesis, what on Gaia are you doing?! You know you can't cause a rampage in the streets!_ " He bellowed over the people and the shrieking as he stood in front of the screeching beast. But the dragon continued to screech and shriek, glancing back to his cocoon-shaped wings and back to his handler. Then Angeal's face contorted to brief horror before it donned on him. " _Where is Zack?! What happened?"_ He cried again, realizing his nephew was not around the maddened beast or anywhere near him.

Genesis was quick to sink to the ground and unfurl one of his wings from the protective embrace he had them in. When Angeal glanced up, another wave of terror washed over his face like a tidal wave. Zack was gently writhing against the dragon's back and grunting in pain, his voice strained and harsh.

"Get him inside, _now_!" The raven-haired man exclaimed before he hurried into his shop.

The dragon pulled his wing back over Zack's curled up frame and scurried around to the east side of the shop. Near the back of the building was a large barn door painted the same color as the rest of the establishment. If he hunched down and crawled in at six feet instead of twelve, he could slither in while still in dragon form.

A good portion of the homes in the marketplace were accommodated for dragons, seeing as most of the handler's lived in the first tier of the kingdom. The shop was no exception.

The door was quick to unlatch and slide open to the right with some creaking involved. Genesis bent down and tucked his tail in before slithering his way into the living room of the house. This allowed the dragon the comfort of being inside the house instead of the workshop all the time. He was one of the few dragons that liked being in his full-blood form. Once he was fully inside, the sliding door was quick to close and latch back up.

"Let's get him over to the couch." Angeal directed as he hurried towards it.

Genesis huffed harshly in agreement, speedily following after his handler to the directed spot. Once in front of the large couch, he unfurled his wings and gently deposited Zack onto it. The black-haired boy had his eyes scrunched closed and he was coated in a thin glaze of sweat as he continued to clutch his arm. He had stopped moaning and groaning by this point, but was huffing and panting.

"Zack? Zack, can you hear me?" Angeal tried, placing his hand on the teenager's shoulder. Genesis growled something akin to that of a concerned voice.

Zack's eyes slowly pried themselves open as he continued his harsh pattern of breathing. He cracked a weak smile. "Am I late for lunch?" He asked in same fashion as his smirk.

That got a gentle chuckle from Angeal before he responded with, "No. In fact, you're a little early." HE gently stroked the young man's shoulder affectionately, just to send him some comfort and show him that he was here.

"Ha, that's good." Zack agreed. His voice died away when another surge of pain shot through his arm and made him grunt and further curl into the couch cushions.

"Alright, let me have a look." Angeal stated before he stopped petting the boy's shoulder and reached for his hurt arm with tentative hands.

He gently took his nephew's afflicted arm in his hands and gently guided it away from him. The teenager kept the pained grimace on his face but kept himself from making any hurt sound. The older man gently pushed up the light gray sleeve in front of him to get a closer look. Zack's veins were inflamed and the light blue trails were visible from under the flesh.

"Hold on." Angeal muttered thoughtfully, a careful hand towing down and across those pale blue veins. "I know what this is." He responded a little louder.

Genesis grunted in a confused fashion, glancing to his handler with dumbfounded surprise glowing in his yellow eyes. The older man tenderly took a hold of his nephew's wrist and turned it up-right to confirm his suspicions. The teen had his eyes open again as a look of confusion washed across his face when he saw that his uncle was smiling at him.

"You're going to be a Dragon Handler."

Zack's eyes were wide after he heard that. Even Genesis made a noise of surprise, glancing between both his master and his kin. That's when Angeal gently turned his nephew's wrist towards his enlarged eyes. There, on the underside of his right wrist, was a navy blue mark in the shape of a dragon claw. His mouth gaped open, pure astonishment written all over his face despite the pain in his arm. His free hand reached up and covered his mouth, much like how he did before while in Castle Shin-Ra.

"I-" He tried to speak, his voice muffled from his hand in front of it.

Angeal just smiled brighter, truly happy his young nephew's greatest dream had finally come true after years and years of wishing and hoping. Every eleven-eleven wish, every birthday wish, and on every shooting star he had hoped for this. Now, it was finally his.

" _I'm a dragon handler!_ " He exclaimed when he took his hand from his mouth and pumped it into the air.

His eyes were billowing with joyous moisture and he started to laugh light-heartedly. He stopped when a less painful jolt of discomfort shot through his arm. The sensation made him wince, but his smile refused to fade.

"Your arm is going to be like that for a few days. But the pain will get less and less intense as some time goes by." Angeal explained as he petted the limb before he placed the teenager's arm next to against the couch.

"Hear that, Gen? I'm going to be a handler! That means you'll have a dragon buddy to talk to!" Zack chirped, including the Kazilik dragon in his elation.

Genesis growled softly as a grin pulled at his snout. He puffed a white cloud of smoke from his nostrils to display his own version of joy.

"Oh man, four more days. I hope I can last that long!" Zack sighed with a huge smile gleaming brightly.

There was so much he needed to do before the eve of his fifteenth birthday! He needed to make a soft and warm spot to put his egg, he needed to think of some names for his dragon, and he had to make sure he had something to clothe the newborn when it hatched! But there was always more to do than that, tons more. But he was ready.

He had to prepare, that was for sure.

* * *

A/N: Hope you liked the wild ride! Be sure to leave a review or favorite and follow! Let me know what you thought, okay? :D

Toodles!


	2. Chapter 2

Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter two of DragonHeart! I hope you've all enjoyed it so far! And thank you all to the people that read this, favorited this, followed this,or commented on this, you guys are all just awesome :D Without further ado, here's chapter 2! :)

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Robins and sparrows twittered and chirped from outside, their lilting tunes sung into the mid-morning air. Zack stirred slowly, turning over to his right as his eyes forced themselves apart. His vision was clouded and hazed from deep sleep, leaving his world in a milky texture. His right arm untangled from the quilt covering his body to rub at his eyes. When he pulled the heavy limb back, his cleared sapphire eyes caught the sight of something peculiar on his wrist.

But his dazed look soon slipped into something joyous and blissful. That navy blue dragon claw mark remained freshly carved into his flesh. A tired grin pulled at the corners of his eyes at the sight, completely overjoyed at the prospect of finally becoming a Dragon Handler.

Then he broke through the stronghold of weariness when he remembered today was the morn of his fifteenth birthday. His eyes widened tremendously as he all but threw the quilt off his body, the blanket slumping to the wooden floor below silently. He rolled out of bed and bounded to his feet, energy levels already astronomically high. He felt almost _too_ giddy. To work out some pent up excitement, he started to do some squats with a mile-wide smile stretched across his sun-kissed skin.

He still had to wait until late afternoon to get his egg, so to have all this energy right now wouldn't do his patience any good. If he worked most of the thrill out of his body and blood, he'd be able to get through the day much better. Zack kept internal count of how many of the exercises he performed, having a goal of at least fifty squats in three minutes. So he kept crunching away until his internal clock matched with his designated number, his goal being bested by thirteen more squats.

He stood back up to full height and stretched his arms over his head with an audible grunt. Now that some of the excess energy had been taken care of, he could focus a little better on the tasks that a Thursday entailed. He relaxed from his stretch and decided now was a good time as any to head downstairs. Zack briskly exited his room, making sure to crack the door behind him. He padded across the creaky wood floor, each step making the planks whine under his weight.

He hit the stairs with a bit of a bounce, nearly bounding down those sturdy steps rather than walking down them. He was about to walk through the living room, but slowed to a stop when he heard noises coming from the kitchen. So he deterred from the path to the workshop and righted himself to enter the small kitchen.

Angeal was cooking something in a kettle with a fire that could only be from Genesis boiling whatever was inside. Speaking of, the Kazilik was purring and gazing over his handler's shoulder and into the cauldron. The blacksmith nudged the horned beast back with his right arm.

"You'll get your breakfast in a minute, chill out." He scolded gently, taking the wooden spoon from the kettle and pointing it at the beast in his full-blooded form.

Genesis growled something akin to that of a complaint as his forked tongue jut out from behind his snout and ran over the warm wooden utensil.

"Come on! I still have to cook with this!" Angeal griped as he used his free hand to flick the dragon in between his nostrils.

Genesis puffed gray smoke as a growl rumbled in his throat. He turned his head away with another haughty huff and puff. Angeal shook his head and wiped the spoon off on his clean pants before going back to stirring whatever happened to be boiling inside the cauldron.

"It's never a dull morning with you guys." Zack chimed as he stepped away from the doorframe and further into the kitchen.

Angeal glanced over his shoulder while Genesis softly growled in acknowledgement. A smile pulled at the older man's face before he spoke.

"There he is, the man of the hour!" He greeted.

Zack sheepishly rubbed the back of his head while continuing to approach his uncle and the dragon. He pulled his hand away when he stopped beside the older man and peered inside the cauldron like Genesis had done just a few moments ago.

"Watcha cookin'?" Zack asked as he glanced away from the boiling liquid.

"Your favorite breakfast." Angeal responded with a half-smirk.

The teen's eyes lit up before he spoke all in one breath, "You're making apple crumb-cake with raisin bread covered in coconut sprinkles?"

"Okay, I'm making your _second_ favorite breakfast; honey-glazed chicken with sweet dumplings and eggs." Angeal corrected with a laugh.

"Well, that's just as good I guess." Zack responded as he glanced back inside the bubbling broth.

Genesis could be heard with hearty dragon-laughter from his spot beside his master, his tail flicking playfully. Angeal glanced once more into the broth before nodding his head, signaling that the food inside had finished cooking and was now ripe and in its prime to eat.

"Alright Genesis, put your fire out." He directed, pointing to the flame below the kettle.

The Kazilik dragon growled out something like a half-confused and a half-angry cry.

"Hey, you know I can't put out your fire! _I_ nearly caught fire trying to put it out last time!" Angeal reminded as he placed his hands over his chest to gesture to himself.

Genesis bobbed his head from side-to-side and mocked his master's voice with his own set of dragon-like cries and grunts, his glowing yellow eyes rolling as he did so. The gesture caused Zack to snort and attempt to keep from laughing out loud.

"Just do it, you sass." He spoke with a grin, pointing to the crackling fire again.

The dragon smirked slightly before extinguishing the fire with his tail, patting the flames a few times before it died out in smoke and ash. He purred something that probably could have passed for 'Happy now?', as he gave his handler playfully annoyed eyes.

"Yes, I am. Alright, let's get your breakfast ready." Angeal spoke before he turned away from the cauldron and to a cabinet towards the left of it.

He opened up the small door and pulled out a few air-tight jars of sealed meat one by one. The jars were relatively large and took two of the blacksmith's hands to pull down just from their circumference alone. Genesis was growling delightfully, his head peering over his master's shoulder.

Meats were usually of high price within the market, but for Dragon Handlers with carnivores or even omnivores, they were sold at a discounted price so the average working man could afford to feed their reptilian workers or companions. When they could not however, the kingdom would let the dragons hunt around the grounds surrounding the empire of Midgar, letting them catch and hunt their own food.

The jars were unsealed and the lids placed to the side before Angeal found a large wooden plate to place the preserved meats on. He dumped the assortment of raw fish and pork onto the readied plate before adding the last jar of fresh beef to bring the full meat-meal all together. Genesis was trying to further lean over his handler's shoulder and grab a small piece of meat with his forked tongue. Without needing to look behind or beside him, Angeal reached up and flicked the beast's thin tongue.

The Kazilik let out a soft screech and retreated a few feet away, hissing angrily at his master after he was at a safe distance.

"Oh hush! You'll get your food when everyone else does." The older man chided as he slid the now empty jars over to the side.

Angeal turned away from the plate of meat and opened up another cabinet, pulling out a few bowls and spoons with the same wooden material as the other utensils were made of. Silverware was a thing only for nobility after all. Bowls and spoons were distributed across a small table along with the fresh plate of meat. A ladle was grabbed and dunked into the now cooling black cauldron.

"Okay, that should just about do it." Angeal commented, dusting his hands off as the preparations were finally complete.

"Alright!" Zack cheered as he bounded over to the table and took a hold of his bowl, scurrying back to the cauldron where the delicious food sat, ready to be eaten.

Genesis sat back on his hind legs as his familiar orange aura swirled around him again, the two humans paying no mind to the dragon, knowing their morning rituals to a capital 'T'.

By the time Zack and Angeal had served themselves and sat at the table, the Kazilik dragon was sitting at the table in his humanoid form with the same clothes on as yesterday and a wooden fork and knife in hand.

"While I may be a beast of high dignity, I refuse to eat like one." Genesis commented as he cut into his raw meat with the utensils.

"Hmm, I wonder if my dragon will eat like that too." Zack thought aloud and absent-mindedly, stirring his breakfast around with his spoon in his bowl.

"All dragons differ, but I highly doubt he'll eat like Genesis. That dragon is a class all his own." Angeal remarked, blowing a thin trail of steam from his food before taking a bite.

Genesis smirked as he took a rather petite bite of his assorted meats, eating much like a refined nobleman or young woman.

"So, Angeal. How am I going to know which egg is mine when I go to the Hatchery?" Zack inquired, glancing up from his food to look at his uncle.

"Easy, you'll feel it. It'll just be something you know like the back of your hand." The older man retorted around a bite of food.

"Okay. How long does it usually take for eggs to hatch?" The teen asked, suddenly overcome with tons of questions.

He was starting to feel excited again, but not only that. He was starting to feel _nervous_ too. Was he _really_ ready for this? Was he truly prepared to take on the responsibilities of caring for and training a dragon of his very own? He was starting to feel rather anxious and jittery and his leg was starting to bounce in place rapidly as he sat. He wanted to curse at himself, nervous? Zack Fair was _never_ known to be nervous! But he couldn't help or quell the tight feeling in his chest and the churning in his stomach.

"Anywhere from one to two weeks, depending on how well you care for them in that stage." Angeal responded, a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"How long did it take for you to hatch Genesis, and what do you mean by how well you take care of them?" Zack asked once more.

"Honestly? Two and a half weeks. I couldn't coddle him much in that stage because his egg was always too hot for me to touch, so I just kinda let his egg sit around, giving it attention whenever I could back then. For that last part, it mainly depends on how much affection you show it, how you keep it warm or how you keep it company. It's a rather crucial stage to determine your dragon's personality."

"Ah! That explains why he's so angry! Genesis has Daddy issues!"

"Shut up, Zack!" Genesis growled, pointing his empty fork at the teenager as a thin trail of smoke puffed from his nose.

"One last question? What if my dragon doesn't like me? Or worse! What if I don't like my dragon?" Zack quickly asked, the bouncing in his leg getting so intense he was making the table vibrate.

This did not go unnoticed by the humanoid dragon and he was given a harsh glare.

"Alright, Zack. Let me tell you something." Angeal stated, putting his spoon down as he turned in his chair to better face his nephew. "Your dragon will _not_ dislike you as a hatchling. It has no bad memories and no _reason_ to hate you. As for you disliking your dragon, I don't think there's ever been a Handler alive that _hasn't_ disliked them when they first hatched." He continued gently.

"Wait, does that mean _you_ hated Genesis when he hatched?" Zack gasped.

How could anyone hate a mighty fire-breathing creature like that? How was it even possible for handlers to hate mighty dragons like that? It was one of his biggest wishes to have a fearsome carnivore like his uncle had, or even a large omnivore like the Pecheur-Couronne! He'd kill for an acid-spitting Longwing, or even a _tiny_ acid-spitting Ka-Riu! Was it true that handlers _hated_ those breeds and wanted something else or more?

"I did." Angeal responded.

Genesis huffed something sharp but soft, already knowing where this conversation was about to lead. He had to keep from snarling out loud at the memories that were sure to follow.

"Why?" Zack asked incredulously.

"Because I never wanted to be a Dragon Handler."

The teenager was stunned after hearing that. His eyes were wide and his mouth open, jaw parted and hanging low. He wanted to ask why again, but the words would not come. How could his uncle _not_ want to be a dragon handler? It was just ludicrous!

"I'll explain." Angeal continued, a bit softer than when he had first begun.

"No." Genesis quickly spoke.

Both the blacksmith and the apprentice glanced to the humanoid dragon with equal looks of shock on their faces. The russet-haired beast stood up from the table, his meal only half finished. He walked around the small piece of furniture and stood in beside Zack. With quick and sturdy grip, he hoisted the teenager out of his chair swiftly, standing him upright and in front of his towering form.

"I'll _show_ him." Genesis elaborated.

With that, he leaned close to the stunned raven-haired boy, pressing his forehead against his and closing his bright yellow and green-ringed eyes. Zack found his eyes doing the same, even though he fought to keep them open. A bright white light swirled from their bodies and enveloped them briefly before fading away just as fast. The teen was out immediately after.

* * *

Zack opened his eyes and blinked, a dazed look on his face. When he glanced around, he realized the entire world was painted in black and white. He spun on his heel, glancing in every direction he could. What on earth was going on?

"Genesis? Hey! Where are you? What the heck is going on?" He cried to the black and white scene aimlessly.

His questions went unanswered, leaving him with the echo of his own cry before it dwindled into uncomfortable silence. He hummed a sharp key and looked around him again, trying to find some sense of familiarity, but he could not. He wasn't in his home anymore, this was a stranger's house in an even stranger monochrome world. The layout of the house was completely different than what he grew up in. There were stairs in the wrong spot, doors where there shouldn't be doors, and the floor was much less sturdy than what he was used to.

Then it dawned on him: Genesis would show him what Angeal was trying to explain. Did that mean he was living in the dragon's memories in some kind of third-person perspective? He had no idea the beast could do something like this! Could all dragons to that? Or was that just a breed specific power? His train of thoughts were interrupted when he heard a pained scream come from what might have been the living room.

Zack slowly stepped towards the sound hesitantly, feeling a sense of awareness in the wounded voice. When it echoed again, curiosity got the better of him and sent him charging for the door that lead to the room where those cries were the loudest. When he opened the door, he was then met with both a familiar and a foreign face.

He could make out Angeal being the one in pain, but he looked so much younger and had a less husky build. He must be viewing the older man's memories. But how was that even possible? It had been Genesis that sent him here! How did he have his uncle's memories? Unless, it was a possibility, perhaps. Yes! If a Handler and their dragon could communicate telepathically, then they must share the same kind of mind, therefore, be able to see the others memories deep in their subconscious.

When his thoughts disrupted again, Zack glanced ahead and saw his young uncle hold up his right arm and stare at his wrist. A Dragon Mark was beginning to form on the tender flesh, his veins in his arm inflamed just like his had been four days ago. He must be seeing the memories of his uncle gaining his mark. If mental math served him correctly, he was fifteen. He must have gotten his mark on the day he turned that age.

Just then, two other people ran right through Zack and towards Angeal. The teen gasped quietly and shuddered from the cold feeling it brought. He was seeing it, but he wasn't really here. It was definitely an odd experience! One of them looked like his uncle's mother; Gillian was her name, if he remembered right. He didn't remember her very much for she had died when he was still young. The other figure knelt by his uncle was a younger girl. Wait a minute. The girl, she looked _way_ too familiar. In fact, she looked a lot like _him_. Gaia, was that his _mother?_

Her hair was pulled into a loose braid and tossed over her right shoulder, and even in this black and white scene, he could see the bright cornflower blues of her eyes.

He only had one fuzzy memory of her, the briefest memory he contained. He remembered looking up at her face, which was smiling down at him lovingly, then in an instant, everything was covered in flames and her smiling face was gone. It was a memory he didn't like and tried to suppress. It upset him greatly but he never could figure out why it did. Once again, his strayed mind was brought back to the current –or was it past?, moment.

"Look big brother! You've got a Dragon Mark like me!" The girl exclaimed happily, showing off her deep purple mark on her right wrist as well.

Good Gaia, his _mother_ was a Dragon Handler too?

"N-No! I don't want it!" Angeal cried, his eyes gazing at the newly carved mark in his flesh in horror.

"But brother-"

"You don't understand! I don't want to handle dragons! It's not what I want!" The young-version of his uncle cried.

"You can still do what you want though! If you get a gentle dragon, I'm sure they'll still let you be the royal pianist and play the piano for the king and queen!" His young sister reassured, patting his shoulder in a comforting fashion.

Angeal looked up at her with hope flashing behind his eyes. "Really?" He asked hesitantly.

"Yeah! You know King and Queen Shin-Ra support dragons! If you have a gentle one at your side, I _know_ you can still play for them! Plus, you get to have a dragon too! Won't that be awesome?" She encouraged.

"…Yeah, I guess it will be." Angeal responded with a gentle smile.

The black and white scene distorted, just like the ripple of a water-drop on a large body of water. The characters faded away into the wave, stillness and complete black swarming around Zack once more, leaving him confused and wondering if that was all he was going to see. If so, it certainly didn't answer much.

But he was wrong when another image pixilated in front of him. This time, the scene was toned in sepia, everything brown and tan with shades of the like. He was still standing in the same house and in the same living room, but this time the only memory-people there were his uncle and his mother. They were sitting on the floor and watching as a large egg was starting to move about and crack its shell open. He could see a dragon sitting next to his mother, sitting formally on both sets of legs with a puffed out chest. It was a head taller than her mother and glancing down at the cracking egg too. Surprisingly, that beast was in color. He could tell that she handled a Flamme-de-Gloire.

Those beasts were known for being one of the most dangerous breeds of all the dragons, especially noting that it was a fire-breather as well. It was rumored that this breed could even rampage at random and turn on their masters. But this one looked well reserved, refined, and even gentle. This breed was colored in Midnight black with yellow markings all around their body, sometimes the yellow overpowering the black. His mother's variation had more yellow than black and had a pair of glowing lavender eyes. Their most unusual feature was the shape of their horns. They looked just like a ram's: they were curved and came from the forehead to the jawline.

It seemed his mother's side of the family was just full of powerful dragons that could even breathe fire. With that kind of knowledge, he'd be sure to net a powerful dragon! However, recalling that handlers were mostly disappointed with their dragons, he tried to remember not to be picky about what he was going to get. After all, the whole reason why he was seeing this was because he was nervous about getting a dragon he'd hate, and wondering why Angeal never wanted to be a handler in the first place.

Zack zoned back in when he heard more cracking and popping coming from the large egg on the living room floor. Eventually he deduced that must be Genesis trying to crack out of the egg. When the top of the shell came soaring off with a blast of heat as it cracked and split when it hit the ceiling, he knew for a fact it was the fiery dragon.

Then he popped his head out of the egg, hatched in his humanoid form with his big horns appearing too large for his little head. His eyes were glowing a fierce yellow with his bright green ring around his slit pupils, the only colors he could see besides constant sepia and the coloration of his mother's Flamme-de-Gloire. The two looked at the dragon and the little hatchling looked back at both of them. He growled something soft and cute before glancing back down to the egg half of him was still curled inside.

Zack stepped closer to get a better look. He had never seen Genesis ever look so tiny, and well, _cute_ too. He paused and sat behind the memory-forms of his uncle and mother as they too watched the baby dragon hatch.

With a scowl and a spit of fire from his mouth, he blew off a large chunk of eggshell, then used talon-like fingernails to hack and slash the rest of the shell away from his body. When one last large bit remained, he poised his rather large, spiked-tail into the air and slammed it down on the shell, splitting it and making the pieces fly in multiple directions. Zack was smirking at the hatchling, enjoying the process of seeing him mutilate the egg he was once part of. His mother was giggling and Angeal was both perplexed and amused, but grinning nonetheless.

The naked dragon babe looked down and saw some more eggshell bits under him that had yet to be mutilated like its brittle brethren. So he blew a tiny fireball at it, disintegrating the remaining bits of shell to ash and scattered remnants, even toasting the floor an ashy gray color. When the egg had been destroyed, the baby dragon huffed and held his head up, going to step away from the shattered remains. However, his haughtiness didn't last long, for his was unsteady on his feet and toppled over right after taking a single step. Zack was smiling and laughing to himself, noting that Genesis had always been like that since he first hatched.

His glowing yellow and green-ringed eyes glanced up to Angeal, immediately recognizing him as his handler. With a purred growl, he clumsily bobbled his way over to his master sitting against the floor in a crisscross position, attempting to climb onto his leg and sit in his lap, but failing to do so. With gentle and uncertain hands, Angeal curled them around the humanoid dragon and lifted him into his lap tenderly. The babe purred out another high-pitched growl.

"Hey, take a look at the guide book and see what kind of dragon he is!" His sister reminded, pointing to a small booklet on her brother's left.

Instantly, the booklet washed with color, the red of the cover burning bright against the contrasting sepia of the memory. Ah, the dragon booklet. Zack had that whole thing memorized by the time he was six. He was familiar with every dragon breed and knew of their colorations and if they had any special abilities, ranging from the tiny foot-long Ka-Riu to the massive twenty foot-long Regal Copper.

Angeal claimed the booklet in his hands, flipping open to the first page and checking the table of contents. For those that knew the dragon breed names, you could search it by name. For those that didn't, you could search it by color. So, his uncle flipped through the book until he came across the 'Red Breeds' section. His finger trailed down the lists of dragons with their respective pictures, shaking his head when it wasn't the breed he had and turning the page. He did this a few more times until he found the correct breed, his eyes widening as he read through the contents.

Zack decided to peer over the memory-version of his uncle and read over his shoulder, even though he had the whole thing memorized by heart.

"So, what breed is he?" His sister inquired, leaning to the side to get a good look herself.

Angeal just silently handed the book over to her without a word. His face looked dark and sullen, which made her take the book with a concerned frown. She took it into her own hands and glanced at the breed name, her own dragon doing the same.

"Kazilik: A red and black colored dragon with long, thick horns and spikes down its back and tail. While small as hatchlings, these dragons can grow up to fifteen feet tall and be six and a half feet wide. Their wings are small as babies, but can grow to be twice as long as the length of their bodies. They are carnivorous and can eat up to five pounds of raw or cooked meat as adults.

These dragons are known for their fire-breathing attributes and-" She paused. "-their highly aggressive nature." One last pause before reading on with a softer voice.

"These dragons have a high temperament and are prone to irrational and angered behavior at the smallest of disruptions. Kazilik dragons are one of the most belligerent breeds known to man. While highly intelligent, these beasts are prone to fighting with other dragons and even people if not properly trained. They are not suited around large groups unless they have been tamed.

If taming is successful, this breed will only have mild outbursts capable of controlling, is loyal and protective and will be fine around large crowds and unfamiliar territory. Skill to handle this breed: Four and a half stars." She summarized before she glanced up from the book with a sad look on her face.

"Angeal?" She asked, glancing over to her brother to see how he was taking the news.

He was looking down at his dragon with a sullen look on his face. The babe was purring softly and flicking his tail from side to side as he enjoyed the company and presence of his handler.

"Do you think I can still be a royal pianist even with a violent dragon?" He asked quietly, glancing to his younger sister with the same sad look as before.

Zack even felt a little heartbroken as he watched the exchange. All he wanted to do was play the piano for the king and queen, but with a dragon like Genesis, it'd be close to impossible. Knowing where his uncle stood in life now, it'd be safe to guess that his dream didn't come true. He was a blacksmith now, something on the opposite side of the spectrum compared to a pianist.

But his sister just smiled brightly towards her brother. "Of course! It says in the book that if you train them right, then they can be around large groups and only have a sort of mean side!" She encouraged, patting his shoulder enthusiastically.

So that's where Zack got his pep and enthusiasm from.

"Thank you, Sophia." Angeal acknowledged, the sad look leaving his face as gentle determination replaced it. He then glanced down to the dragon babe in his lap. "Hear that?" he asked.

The Kazilik glanced up at its handler with a deeper purr, as if asking 'what?' in reptilian tongue.

"I'm going to train the heck out of you!" He proclaimed, running a hand through those russet colored locks.

The dragon purred in a cocky fashion and flicked his tail, as if to say 'Try me'.

"But first, what to name you?" He thought aloud, tapping his chin in thought.

"You mean you _still_ haven't thought of a name yet?" Sophia gawked. "I was able to think of Noira's name before she even hatched!" She added as she scratched under her dragon's chin.

"You call that a name? That's just the color black in Banoran with an 'a' slapped at the end!" Angeal called out with a laugh.

"Better than something _you_ could come up with!" She teased with a big cheesy grin on her face.

"Oh yeah? We'll just see about that!" He countered.

The humanoid dragon babe growled in a cute voice as if to agree with his handler, shooting the same kind of growl at Noira, whom just softly rumbled in response.

"Let's see, for a mighty dragon they have to have a mighty name. It's got to be poetic and something as old and true as time! Something like the beginning of all beginnings, maybe."

From the distance, Zack could hear a faint voice calling out to the people outside the small house. It sounded like one of those religious priests talking about things like bibles and Gods and all sinners going to hell. He only caught one word from the person shouting out loud through the outside of their house and to his audience. 'Genesis'. The dragon babe instantly perked at the word, glancing all around as if he was already aware that was going to be his name without anyone else knowing.

Angeal clapped his hands together before saying, "And that's how it's done!"

"You didn't even _do_ anything!" Sophia argued, her arms crossed over her chest.

He just shot her a smug smirk and repeated the name while still looking at his sister. The dragon mewled from down below in response to it and he arched an eyebrow in a playful fashion. Talk about a fast learner! However, the sepia scene with only bits of colors rippled away like the black and white one had done before. Now that there was a clear lack of a floor, Zack was quick to scurry to his feet with a gentle 'woah!'.

This time, a new image rippled in in place of the one before, except this one was in full blown color. He was in the royal chambers of Castle Shin-Ra where throngs of nobles conversed with one another while the King and Queen sat in their respective thrones, smiling and having a grand time. It looked to be some kind of royal ball or party. Elegant decorations lined the arches and the walls, a buffet complete with fresh lobster and crab decorated long glass tables against a wall with a massive stain-glass window.

The window was made of rainbow shards of glass and portrayed the image of an ancient white dragon with red lines on its back, wings, and tail, with markings of the same color on its forehead and under its eyes, containing a pair of rounded tan horns in between a set of floppy ears. It also had golden fur on its chin, ears, wings and the tip of its' tail. Its massive wings were stretched out, blue and red markings on the coating in between the thick looking spines. It was perched on the highest peak of the castle and guarding over the whole kingdom of Midgar. The window looked rather old, as if it had been built at the same time as the castle. That meant the stained glass artwork had been perched up there for over four hundred years.

There was a banner underneath the castle, etched into the stain glass like the rest of the picture, the words 'Dio Benedica Il Re Di Nuvole' were scrolled out in ancient Midgarian, which roughly translated to 'God bless the King of Clouds' in current language.

What could that stain glass window really be portraying?

Just beneath the king and queen's elevated thrones sat a magnificent ivory black piano and a golden colored stool lay in front of it. It was probably the most magnificent piano Zack had ever seen in his life, and it was captivating even though he wasn't a big musician. The whole set up, the whole chamber, it was all just breathtaking and magnificent. Even though he wasn't really there in person, he felt like he was due to the lively atmosphere.

Then he saw his uncle come into view. He was dressed so elegantly, just like a noble garbed in deep blue and black. He even saw a small Genesis in full-dragon form perched over his handler's shoulders, nowhere near his full grown size. He had to have only been a few months old, maybe six, tops.

Dragons didn't reach adulthood until they were a year old. They started slow, but usually had massive growth spurts near the end of their final months as adolescents. They spent the first six as mere babes and the last six as adolescents. Genesis must have been in the middle of transitioning, since he sat fat on his handler's shoulders, almost too big already to continue doing so for much longer.

When Angeal stepped in, the nobles and the partygoers grew silent, their chatter down to condensed whispers. They were pointing at the dragon perched on his broadening shoulders and muttering quietly as they did so. Some had looks of restrained fright on their faces while the others looked to him in a condescending fashion. But the king and queen gave him welcoming smiles, which in turn, made Angeal give one of his own.

He stopped beside the elegant piano and bowed to them, clearing his throat in a hinting fashion when his dragon did not. Genesis caught on and gave a hasty and rather half-arsed bow as Angeal rose from his own. For a Kazilik, that alone was a feat within itself and did not go unnoticed by the rulers of the land. Queen Shin-Ra gestured for him to take a seat at the piano, the King looking ahead with smug interest to see what kind of skill a Second tier commoner had with the instrument.

Angeal curtseyed briefly before claiming his seat on the stool in front of the piano. The nobles were completely quiet now, wanting to hear what the commoner had to offer. Genesis growled softly from his spot on his handler's shoulders, shooting those snobby higher-ups fiery looks.

"Genesis, best behavior." He reminded as he opened up the piano's case to expose the keys beneath.

The young dragon huffed and payed them no further mind. The young teen positioned his hands over the keys, knowing exactly what song to play. His fingers started to move over the keys, back and forth and up and down, slowing a bit to do a beautiful and gentle slide. His fingers worked together, building a lighthearted chorus. His feet operated the right pedals to make the notes either staccato or legato. Then the light chorus went an octave deeper, adding serene depth to the piece, his right hand trilling across the keys skillfully while the left provided the right tempo and the darker harmony.

There were surprised murmurs within the crowd, Genesis catching wind of them from his spot against his handler's shoulders. He felt smug at first, proud of his own master that he was impressing these hob-snobs. However, that emotion died away when his sensitive ears caught wind of something tinted with malice.

"Can you believe the King and Queen hired this Second tier _commoner_ to play for them?"

"I know. Why wouldn't they let a pianist of higher status play for their banquet?"

"I'm surprised the King agreed to this."

"And that dragon on his shoulder! Isn't that an adolescent Kazilik?"

"I believe so! Those things are so violent! How could the good King and Queen let a commoner with a violent _beast_ for a companion play for them?"

"I'm surprised that Second tier can control it. Wait, he could be using some kind of magic to do it. I doubt someone as _plain_ as him could tame _that_!"

"Simply revolting! He must have cheated his way up!"

Genesis couldn't _stand_ hearing those wretched powder-wigs insult not only himself, but his _master_ too! They didn't know anything about him and needed to butt out and just let him play! He started to growl a little louder, the noise audible over the deep sounding piano chorus. He may be aggressive by nature and think his handler as strict and a little harsh, but he was a good young man that was just trying to embrace his dreams and make the best out of the hand he was dealt!

" _Genesis, stop_." Angeal hissed under his breath, accidentally speeding up one hand and slowing the other one down.

The adolescent refused to yield. No one could insult both him and his master and simply get away with it! His temperament wouldn't allow it!

Zack watched from the sidelines with anxiety trilling in his head and his butterflies churning his stomach. He knew what was going to happen, but couldn't stand the building tension in the air for what was to come. He didn't want to see how it all ended. He had a bad hunch about why Genesis's wings were so short all of a sudden. He could only hope he was wrong.

"What's wrong with that dragon?" The king whispered to the queen.

"It seems to be getting upset about something, but I'm not sure what." The queen responded.

Being closer to the rulers of the land, Angeal could hear them whispering to one another. He swallowed thick and continued to play his best, despite his distracted mind.

"It's glaring at us!"

"Do you think it heard us insult him and his handler?"

"Obviously! Just look at those blazing eyes!"

"He shouldn't get so huffy. We only state what we see and what we see is the truth. Those two are nothing but filthy commoners and a violent beast!"

Then Genesis lunged. He leapt from his handler's shoulder and ran towards the nobles, growling and snarling with smoke and cinders billowing and falling from his snout. The crowd was alight in screams and terrified gasps, the noises filling the room deafeningly like the blast of a thousand shotguns. Angeal abruptly stopped playing his song and sprang from the chair, the small stool tipping back and falling to the floor with a loud clatter to mix with the frightened screams. Even though he was no longer playing the piano, the memory sequence kept the piece going to provide background noise while chaos ensued.

" _Genesis! Stop!_ " He cried, running towards the small dragon.

The queen had her hands over her mouth and the king was yelling something, but Angeal couldn't hear over the pounding of his heart and the ringing in his ears. Zack watched with a pitiful expression on his face, groaning quietly when he knew it was going to end badly.

Genesis blasted a fireball towards a group of nobles, the fiery sphere hurtling towards them quickly. They screamed and jumped out of the way just in time for the ball to paint the wall behind them in black and light gray smoke. No matter where they moved or jumped, the Kazilik always found a way to spit another lob of fire where they stood. One of the flames actually caught some man's shoe on fire, and the other man beside him had to stomp it out.

By the time Angeal finally got a hold of his dragon and held him back, a good portion of the chamber was coated in black and gentle wisps of smoke were trailing into the air around them, much like the atmosphere of a pub late at night. He had to fight with Genesis, eventually having to wrestle around with the beast on the floor while he yelled at him to fully and finally restrain him.

By the time the Kazilik calmed down and the hysteria died away, the king was glaring at him and the queen had her head turned away in sadness. The piano continued to play on with no pianist, playing the light chorus gently in the ephemeral moment. The song was playing its finale just as the king shouted,

 _"_ _You will_ never _play the piano in the castle,_ ever _! Take your violent dragon and get out!"_

The piano fell deafly still.

The scene rippled wildly, quickly changing to where they now stood outside on the first tier of the city, in the more rundown section. The sky was a dark overcast of rainclouds, thunder purring much like a calm dragon. Rain was pouring down and both his uncle and his dragon were saturated in it, puddles under their forms. Zack watched on from a nearby distance, fear gnawing in his belly in place of his butterflies. The way they stared at one another; the master seething and the beast confused. He knew. He knew what was going to happen.

"Angeal, don't do it, please..." Zack found himself begging to the apparitions.

"You…You ruined _everything_." The young man growled, his voice close to both breaking and yelling all at the same time.

The Kazilik growled softly at him, wondering why his master was so angry at him after protecting their honor.

"He doesn't know you defended him." Zack narrated softly, his voice just a careless whisper in the memory. "Just, don't do it…" He pleaded.

That's when Angeal rushed towards his dragon while the invisible voice and form of Zack screamed over and over, 'don't do it!'. However, he could do nothing as the bigger man took Genesis's wings in his hands and crushed them with ease, snapping the growing and brittle bones. The dragon was screeching and writhing, trying to get away while his broken wings continued to be mutilated and snapped in unnatural angles. The thunder crashed overhead, drowning out the shrieks and cries, drowning out Zack begging for his uncle to stop.

Lighting flashed and turned their forms to silhouettes, the image of Angeal snapping Genesis's wings forever painted in the teen's memory.

Cue blackness, enter nothing.

* * *

Zack's eyes snapped open with a gasp and labored breaths. His wide eyes glanced all around him as he tried to take note of where he was.

His eyes found the familiar kitchen he was in just moments ago before Genesis had connected their subconscious. The humanoid dragon was standing in front of him with narrowed eyes and a gauging expression on his face, completely back to the shape and form that he was familiar with seeing. The teen glanced over his shoulder and behind him, where Angeal sat, looking just like he should and giving him a look of both sympathy and pity.

"I hated Genesis so much that day. I took away his ability to fly because I didn't realize he had acted out to defend me. When I realized what he had done, it was too late to reverse the damage _I_ had dealt." Angeal summarized with a deep and thoughtful voice, knowing exactly what his nephew just got done seeing.

Zack had to sit down at that moment, noting how bad his legs were shaking from the freaky trip down his uncle's own memory lane.

"So, to wrap that all up. No matter what kind of dragon you get today, don't be a fool like me and wound it because of your own selfish reasons." The blacksmith concluded.

"I just…Can't believe you did that." Zack admonished breathlessly.

"I live to regret it to this very day." Angeal responded, his bowl of food completely gone while the teenager's own sat nearly untouched. "You should eat, or your breakfast will get cold." He added.

Zack glanced down to his bowl of food with a surprised look on his face. How was it still warm? It felt like he had been out of it for hours! Just how much time had actually passed while he was in that trance?

"You were only like that for three minutes. So hurry up and eat before I steal your share." Genesis answered, sitting back down on his side of the table to finish eating his own meal.

The young man picked up his spoon and took a bite, still surprised when the food was still almost hot. It was going to take some time before he could eat normally though, he was still a bit shaken up about seeing the past like he had.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap! I hope you guys enjoyed it! :D Yeah, I'm kinda mean for putting that last scene in there huh? ^^; Anyways, if you liked it, don't be shy to leave behind a review, I read them all and they just make my day! :)

Until the next chapter everybody!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello everyone! Welcome to chapter three of DragonHeart! I hope you guys like it :D

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

It wasn't until high noon that Zack realized he _still_ hadn't purchased any kind of bedding or place to sleep for his dragon egg. So much for being prepared four days ago! He hadn't even acquired any clothing for when it would hatch either. He only had an hour to gather what he needed before it would finally be time for him to claim his egg, so he had to be quick about it. Oh yeah, he was _totally_ ready for a dragon of his very own, if sarcasm is an acceptable form of readiness. He was quickly throwing an old set of clothes on in place of what he had woken up in, settling on the outfit he wore when delivering that special order to the Dragon Army the previous Sunday.

However, he decided to wear a different tunic this go round, changing the gray fabric and red chain to blue with a yellow chain in its stead. The process mostly involved him falling over and crying out in surprise whenever he lost his balance –and even flat out falling to the floor twice, but after some struggling, he managed successful in clothing himself.

Due to word of mouth around the kingdom and the weather wizard, it was speculated to be a bit of a chilly day. So he added a plain black cloak to throw over his shoulders and cover his back and arms, even adding a clean set of brown gloves to keep his hands warm. The left glove was longer than the right, mainly because he wanted to still show off the Dragon Mark on the fuller part of his right wrist.

With an advance on his pay in pocket and a destination in his head, he was ready to set out and round up the things he needed. He jogged down the stairs from his bedroom, cutting across the living room and into the blacksmith shop. Seeing how it was only the middle of the day, Angeal was in the middle of forging a new blade from scratch, hammering down on the hot steel with a few well-placed strikes. Genesis stood in his full dragon form on the other side of the anvil, cocking his head to the left and right for each strike against the steel, watching the hot red sparks fly from the steel.

When the orange glow left the forming blade, he puffed a small breath of fire against the metal, reviving the orange sheen and heating it back up once more. He went right back to cocking his head to the left and right with each strike from the hammer.

"Hey, I'm heading out now." Zack called over a pause in the rhythmic banging.

Angeal looked up from his work and glanced over his right shoulder, tossing a smile to his nephew. "Alright, just be back soon. When one o' clock comes I'm going to tag along when you go to claim your egg." He informed, pointing at him for emphasis.

"Alright, later! Bye, Gen!" Zack called as he waved to his uncle and the dragon.

Angeal spoke a quick, 'see you soon' as he went back to his work while Genesis grunted out some dragon form of 'toodle-oo', the sing-song tone in his light growl spot on. Zack popped open the front door right next to the open venue displaying their weapons before stepping outside. The air was much cooler than it had been when he was last out and about, the world much less warm. The sun may be shining high and bright in the sky above, but the ephemeral blue was shrouded with puffy white clouds in all shapes and sizes.

There were less people roaming about the marketplace today. Seeing as it was a weekday and high noon, most were working or in school. He was glad his education ended when he turned thirteen, already learning everything he needed to know like simple mathematics and how to read and write. The other stuff like carpentry, sowing, and blacksmithing he learned from his uncle or any of his respective friends.

A breeze played with Zack's cloak, making the black fabric ruffle in the wind as he clapped his glove clad hands together. If memory served him correctly, he needed to head over to the other marketplace on the other side of the first tier. While this side had a few venues and booths for first-time dragon owners, he was informed that the other bazaar had better products. Angeal had even referred it over the one they worked and lived in.

With his destination set like stone, Zack took to the road, strolling through the market he knew like the back of his hand. A few familiar faces waved at him or called out his name and a brief hello as he passed by them. He was kind to return the gesture and keep advancing, he couldn't dawdle too much after all! A few acquaintances of his asked if he was alright after that scare on Sunday, in which he showed them his mark briefly with a big grin before he continued his quest.

He was in a much better mood now that the freaky experience of looking through his uncle's and his dragon's memories felt just like a fuzzy dream. After watching those events take place, he swore he would _never_ lay his hands on his own dragon with malice. Even if he disliked the breed, he'd refrain from hurting it due to his own selfishness. Granted, he hoped with all his might that he wouldn't get an herbivore. He wanted to be in the Dragon Army so bad it nearly hurt. If he were to get a docile leaf-eater, that would be ruined in only a moment. But the trilling excitement of just _getting_ a dragon was enough to keep that doubt from becoming consuming.

He bypassed the large stairs that lead to Castle Shin-Ra and continued around his curving path, wandering to the other side of the first tier. It was a more dragon-friendly side, but not a good location for a blacksmith to reside. While these houses and shops may be large enough to hold dragons and their handlers, it wasn't enough for any more and lacked space to set up large operations or businesses. Mainly, your average merchant and his beast set up shop here, selling things like kitchen utensils, home-furnishings, rugs, or knick-knacks of the like. It was a good place to find good luck charms and the best places to buy all types of clothing and dragon supplies.

The noises of the second marketplace drew his blank blue eyes back into focus and recall exactly where he was going. There were a few merchants banging on some small cooking pots with wooden spoons, hustling the average man to come take a look inside or give his venue a second glance. There were a few more livestock trades on this side of the level, so the noises of small animals like hogs, chickens, and sheep added to the banging and calling.

Zack's ears picked up on the sounds of a few tinkling wind-chimes, the lilting sounds resembling bird calls or music boxes. It was certainly livelier on this side of the kingdom. He saw a few children run by, chasing their pet drakes and laughing loudly. He watched them zoom by with a smirk on his face as he sauntered on, idling on this side of town for a little bit. It wasn't often he got to leave the shop of his own accord, so he relished every little moment he possibly could.

However, something new had caught his eye and made him slow to an eventual stop. There was a light purple and gold tent to his right, where he was currently glancing at this very moment. He could see a few charms and tinkling wares on the lip of the tent, but further inside was what had his curiosity. So, he took a few slow and steady steps closer to the small establishment. His sapphire eyes connected with the sight of an elderly woman sitting behind a small dark-purple clothed table with a crystal ball perched in the middle.

She looked as if she was a gypsy, for he had never seen this tent before in all his years, and her appearance certainly played the part: Her silver hair was tucked behind her ears as a light purple shawl decorated with golden-colored circles covered the rest. Her Amethyst-colored eyes were bright against the contrasting darkness of the inner tent. Her ball had a foggy white interior and she was staring into it while two purple colored candles sat burning on either side of her.

An empty stool sat in front of the table, looking almost inviting. Zack hummed softly to himself before he shook his head. He didn't have time to spend around an obvious fortune teller, no matter how curious he may be. However, when she spoke, that got him to stop in his tracks immediately.

"Ah, fledgling Dragon Handler, what conveys you to my bivouac? Perhaps you are interested in a fortune or perhaps a prediction of your future? Maybe even an extrapolation about what dragon you are about to obtain today?"

"How do you know I'm a Dragon Handler, and how do you know I haven't gotten my dragon yet?" Zack asked as he slowly turned on his heel and maintained eye-contact with the gypsy.

"Madam Avis knows what many do not." The elder explained with a soft and careful voice, containing the frailty of it with some restraint. "Do you care to glimpse into the future?" She inquired, gesturing to her crystal ball.

Zack stood there for a minute, head glanced over his shoulder as half of him faced the fortune teller and the other half faced the exit of the tent. His cloak fluttered briefly when a gust of wind blew inside, the purple candle flames flickering before burning brighter. He exhaled gently before giving in with a, "Eh, why not?" in a slightly curious tone.

So he approached the gypsy and took a seat on the stool in front of the table, his arms carelessly folded across the clothed tabletop. Madam Avis poised her hands over her foggy ball, twitching her fingers before she toyed with the air surrounding the ball. The fog inside began to swirl a little faster, turning from white to lilac, then to a deep mauve. Zack's blue eyes watched with curiosity, his head tilting to the right as he squinted to see if he could make out any image inside.

She glared hard into the ball at that point, her hands floating stationary over her crystal ball while the fog continued to swirl and billow inside. Her mouth twitched before she started to chant gently.

"Unum. Duo. Tribus. Quattour. Oculis caeruleis, Capillum nigrim…Ostende mihi quid videritis!"

Zack had no idea what the gypsy was chanting, but she looked to be really into it. He glanced up at her bright Amethyst eyes, down to her foggy ball, then back to her eyes again, his face tucked securely in his folded arms.

An image was slowly starting to form in Madam Avis's crystal ball. She glanced harder into the picture displayed, the young teen on the other side unable to see what she was seeing, but glancing into the ball curiously now. She could see fire, ice, elements clashing with the other. Buildings were crumbling, people were laughing. Dragons were screeching and shrieking, people were slaying them with strange beasts.

People that were envious of dragon riders were merging these beasts together from other animals to create their own powerful creature, to curse unknown powers for not being able to obtain dragons of their own. If they can't have dragons, no one can. Poachers crawling out of the woodwork, taking dragons that the mutated beasts left behind. Handlers were slain and the dragons next after those hunters got what they came for.

Castle Shin-Ra under attack, chambers blazing with fire and burning down to cinders. Dragons slaughtered in front of their riders, said individuals becoming servant and slaves to the others. Few dragons were kept alive just for the sake of entertainment, to torture, to prod at and curse. Respective riders done the same. Alpha rumble in the castle square, one goes down. The victor clouded and unseen, but chaos continues to ensue blurrily. This is a prophecy too dark to show every bit and detail.

Save for a light in the darkness, a tall beacon of snow, blood, and tears with an individual standing next to said beacon: Blue blazing brightly in the form of two small orbs, an angry red cross engraved on the silhouette, harboring vengeance for the sake of justice in the name of a painful loss.

Madam Avis pulled away from the vision with a gasp and a labored breath. Zack's head shot up from his arms due to the surprise of her action. She had only been glaring at the ball for a few moments and then animatedly came back from her stare with fright.

"What in the heck did you see?" Zack asked with an arched eyebrow, looking into those jewel-colored eyes for an answer himself.

"W-Well the future is tricky and sometimes difficult to predict!" Avis stammered quickly, visibly sweating from her forehead and neck. "However I sense the beast inside your dragon egg, you would like to know of it, yes?" She quickly deterred, hands hovering over the ball again.

"You bet!" Zack agreed with a chirp, forgetting all about the fright that once possessed the fortune teller.

He watched with a small grin as her hands moved over the foggy ball, the color changing from that unsettling mauve to something gentler. In place of the purple, light blue that was nearly white colored the crystal, the fog swirling in a softer fashion and seemed to be much more calming. The candles in the tent blew out quickly, relighting by themselves with the same ice-blue color as the ball. The teen had to glance up and let out a gentle 'woah' at that.

"Yes, I see it now." Madam Avis drawled, drawing the boy's attention back to her.

"I sense something peaceful and tender, but with a hidden flame of determination deep inside. Yes, it looks odd, strange even. It's title as strange and different as its looks. Common to another, but unique on its own." She spoke. But she glanced up from her ball and into Zack's eyes with a serious look in her own.

"But remember this, young one. Labels and titles are not what they seem. While they may deceive your mind, it is what lies dormant inside that is the true reflection of what you see." She added, her tone deep and raspy, as if making sure this moment would be burned into his memory for the rest of his days.

Zack blinked once, twice, with an absent look on his face. His jaw parted and he held up his index finger to ask what exactly she meant, but she stopped him easily with,

"You still have things to purchase do you not? Hurry young one, for it is almost the appointed time."

Appointed time? What did she mean by- Oh.

"Woah! Thanks for the vague and hard to understand fortune, Granny, Gotta go!" Zack quipped as he all but jumped up from the stool and hurried out of the tent.

"Hmm. Of course. Just keep what I have told you in your memory. And may I pray the future is different than what I have seen." She responded.

As soon as Zack rounded the corner to reach his next destination, the purple tent vanished into thin air, an empty lot sitting in its place as if it had never existed.

* * *

Zack scurried along the dirt-trodden roads of the first tier, the substance tracked in from the farmers and the outside lands for so long that the people living here had almost forgotten they were on a tier. His sapphire eyes glanced to the left and right as he brushed past assorted shops and venues, humming a flat key when he realized he was now pressed for time. He never could think straight when he knew he had a strict time-limit to follow.

He quickly spun out of the way when an on the loose chicken and its haggled farmer ran past him, trying to catch up to the 'fowl' creature as it sought sweet, sweet freedom. A glance up to the sky to gauge the son's position in the sky ended up being a fruitless effort, for the sky was now coated in a thin overcast of light gray clouds. They looked as if they could bring about a sprinkle, but appeared much too light to do so. Unable to tell the time and knowing he was pressed for it only made Zack zoom through the marketplace even faster than before. His memory was starting to fail him and he couldn't remember where that dragon specialty shop was anymore. It was a single story establishment, wasn't it? No! It was two stories! Right? The young teen groaned as he scurried through the street, cursing his unreliable memory.

However, when he rounded another curve in the tier, he found the shop Angeal told him about at last. Memory finally caught up with him and told him delayed directions how to get where he currently was standing now. Zack popped himself upside the head, almost like he was scolding his brain. The building was indeed two stories, just like the blacksmith shop. The actual house was on the second story and the first floor and extending awning served as the shop. There was a wooden sign in front of the red and orange striped awning with a dragon painted on the front.

The sign read 'Highwind's Dragon Specialty Shoppe' painted in sloppy cursive underneath the dragon image upon closer inspection. Wait a minute. Highwind? Like 'The Dragon Army's top fighter Highwind'? Zack quickly entered the establishment hastily while his eyes took a linger look around. It was lit with light red paper lanterns hanging from the awning and even the ceiling from further inside the building. There were rows upon rows of dragon necessities ranging from bedding to dietary vitamins. The young teen further entered, eyes glancing all around him as he even spun a quick circle while walking.

"Good afternoon." A voice spoke up.

Zak stopped circling and glanced ahead of him. Standing behind a counter was a young woman with chocolate brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail. She had big round glasses sitting atop the bridge of her nose, eyes of the same hue as her hair shining from behind the bifocals. She was cloaked in a warm looking yellow dress with a white shawl thrown over her shoulders. She smiled comfortingly at him, making the whole venue feel that much more welcoming.

"What can I help you with today?" She asked sweetly when he had further approached the counter.

"How do you do, ma'am? Um, I'm a new Dragon Handler and I was informed of this place by my uncle. He told me I could get some of the best dragon necessities here." Zack stated, ruffling his wild black locks with his hand sheepishly.

"Oh! Well let me get the expert on that, I think he can help you out more than me. While you wait, you're free to take a look around or even meet our shop's mascot." The brunette spoke with a gentle and petite bow. "I'll be right back. If you want to meet the dragon, he's right around the counter." She added before she left the small area and went to the staircase right behind it, climbing up them carefully.

"Thank you, miss!" Zack acknowledged to her ascending frame.

He then decided to peak around the corner, wondering what kind of dragon could be the mascot for the shop. The painting outside didn't really look like much. However, his eyes widened and he almost went to place his hands over his mouth, stopping himself short at the sight. There, lying on the floor and taking a small nap was Chief Highwind's famed Fleur-de-Nuit dragon; Vincent.

The black and midnight-bodied beast looked majestic even in sleep, stretching out to be at least eight feet long without trying. Who knew how tall he really was when standing at full height with a craned out neck and powerful stance? He could see light colored marks and nicks across the scales when he gazed a little harder at the minor characteristics, probably from old battle wounds. So Cid _must_ be the owner of this extravagantly decorated and well-stocked shop!

Fleur-de-Nuit's were such a marvelous and beautiful breed of dragon. They had black bodies splashed evenly with midnight blue, the skin in between their wings often the same color as the blue on their bodies. Their horns curved just like the shape of a tilde and the tips of their tails had crest like ridges on the tip, like the top fins of a fish. They were docile when unprovoked and made great companions and even fiercer fighters.

Vincent's eyes slowly opened, instantly locking to Zack's own and recognizing him as a customer. Instantly, the teen felt a little intimidated and nervous by the way the beast looked at him. The dragon's eyes were blood red, but one of them looked hazy even through the eerie coloration. It was nearly unheard of for these breeds to have any other eye color than solid white. Then the mighty dragon rose to his feet, snorting softly through his nose to register the stranger's scent. The young man found himself not breathing when those nostrils were directly sniffing his black cloak, soaking up his scent of iron, cinders, and firewood.

His blood-red eyes softened some, just enough to pass for kind instead of hesitant. He gently butt his head against Zack's chest and he growled, much like how Genesis would growl when he wanted attention –which wasn't very often, mind you. Cautiously, he reached out his right hand and laid it against the beast's scaly head. When the touch went appreciated, he smirked and started to run his gloved hand over those excessively soft scales.

"Well I'll be damned!" A boisterous voice boomed.

Zack felt like he jumped out of his skin at the exclamation, quickly backing away from Vincent while his heart beat in double time. When he hastily glanced to the left of him, there was Cid Highwind leaning against the banister of the staircase. He was dressed in a plain blue V-necked tunic and light brown pants, a set of deep brown gloves covering his hands and boots of the same saturation clothing his feet. There was a pair of riding goggles strapped to his forehead and angled in a cockeyed fashion with a thin twig in his mouth and clenched in between his teeth.

"Can't even remember the last time Vincent took to a stranger so damn quickly!" He praised, pulling away from the banister and approaching the young teen.

"Name's Cid, owner of this shop and that fine dragon before ya." He greeted gruffly, holding out his hand to shake. Vincent pulled away and settled back down to sleep again. Not uncommon, seeing as Fleur-de-Nuit's were nocturnal by nature.

"I'm Zack, I'm a new Dragon Handler and an apprentice blacksmith." Zack greeted, taking the offered hand and giving it a firm shake. "You know when I was younger I lived off your stories in the Dragon Army!" He added when their hands dropped.

"I don't think there's a kid yer age that _hasn't_ heard of my stories! N' there all true too!" He responded in a good-hearted nature, chomping down on that twig a little harder as he grinned into it.

"Woah! Even the story of you battling that fierce Cauchdor Real over the deserts of Gold Saucer ten years ago?" Zack quickly asked, excitement brimming in his eyes.

Cid arched an eyebrow at him and gave him a quirky grin. "Damn son! I'm surprised you know of that one, not one I go around tellin' all the damn time, that's fer sure." He spoke, his tone intrigued.

Zack rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, a pink blush bursting across his cheeks. Then he remembered why he was even here in the first place. "That's right! I'm here because I was told I could get the best dragon supplies here! I'm actually supposed to pick up my egg today." He spoke with a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Well shit! I feel kinda honored someone said that 'bout my shop! Anyways, you know the basics of takin' care of an egg, kid?" Cid inquired, taking the twig out of his mouth and stuffing it into one of the slots in his belt wrapped around his tunic.

"Not really. I might have memorized the dragon booklet, but I've got no field experience." Zack admitted as that blush deepened a shade or two.

"Alright, then lemmie give ya some pointers an' tips on takin' real good care of em so you don't go bringin' up some kinda spit-fire hell-raiser!" Cid proclaimed, slapping his hand across the teen's back firmly.

Genesis instantly flashed across his mind for a moment –and around that precise moment, the dragon sneezed.

"Most of the time, eggs'll always feel hot or cold, even heavy or light depending on your attitude or even what the dragon wants from you. Got an egg that's too hot? Stay away from it for a while. Egg too cold? Hug that sucker and don't let it go til' it feels warm to you! Heavy? Let that sucker float in a bath! Light? Eh, no worries there, eggs are supposed to feel a bit on the light side." Cid explained while he led Zack through the rows of merchandise in the shop.

"Now, you and _only_ you can tell how your egg really feels, and only _you_ can tell what it wants. Trust me, you'll know exactly what that baby dragon needs before it even hatches." The blond man added, pausing in front of a small rack of product.

He picked up a sealed jar and held it up for Zack to look at. "For the first month, you aren't gonna know for sure if your dragon is a leaf-eater or a meat-eater. Sure, the books can tell you what they are, but they ain't gonna eat that shit til they're at least a month old. Little stomachs can't process solids while they're that young." He used his other hand to hold up the teen's own as he deposited the jar into them.

"They'll usually drink about two of those a day, it's formula, since the little ones don't got mothers to provide the good stuff." He spoke. "This stuff I make myself, so it's got a good taste and has a hell of a long shelf life." Cid explained, pointing to it for emphasis.

He then walked over to another section of the shop, Zack making sure to follow behind him and listen to all of the advice he was being given. Sure, Angeal answered some of his questions, but it was good to hear all of the odds and ends before he ran into trouble later on.

"Got some bedding here too, some quilts and whatnot, courtesy of Shera. When ya make bedding for yer egg, put it in a small, cozy place that's near ya. When dragons are in their egg stage, they usually like to be close to their handlers at all times." Cid further explained.

"How do you know all this stuff?" Zack asked curiously, wondering how someone who only raised one dragon would be so educated about the subject.

"Please, I've handled more than one dragon before. I've had at least two others before Vincent over there. It's rare, but not unheard of to have multiple dragons. That's why my Mark looks like this-" Cid elucidated, pulling down his right glove to display his mark.

Zack peered over and saw exactly what the older man was talking about. He had one large Dragon Claw shaped mark, and two others down below it in a faded gray color.

"Gray means they died. When one died, I found myself with another small mark. That one lasted for two years before it died too. Then I got my mark that tied me to Vincent over there. He's been with me for about twenty years now." Cid explained.

"Woah, I didn't think that was possible." Zack admitted. Panic then ran through his blood. "Wait, what if my dragon dies before me?" He quickly asked.

"Oh it is, just rare." He responded. "Lemmie see your wrist then."

The teen was quick to hold out his wrist and let the man see his mark. Cid just smirked and laughed in a gruff fashion before stating, "Your dragon ain't goin' nowhere kid. If it was, it'd be much smaller than that! Anyways, come over here." The blond man spoke before he gestured for the teen to follow him to another section of the store.

Zack felt instantly relieved as he pulled his glove back over his hand comfortably before following Cid again, pausing beside him in another section.

"Got a few clothes for when they hatch here, in case ya can't sow any of yer own stuff. This here-" He paused to grab something bright and colorful, rubbery object.

"-This is a _must_. This thing here is for when hatchlings teethe. Yeah, _all_ dragons teethe, meat eaters or not. This keeps em from destroying furniture or whatever they can sink those growin' fangs into! Nearly lost my whole damn house when Vincent started gnawin', ain't that right, Vince?" Cid called.

There was a low and drowsy growl from the dragon before he went back to sleep.

"Hold on, if you're in the Dragon Army, then shouldn't you be living there?" Zack realized, noting that soldiers usually stayed within the castle grounds.

"I _was_ with the Dragon Army. I left about six months ago when a fight blinded my dragon in one eye an' tore up his left wing. He hasn't flown since then and he's rather content jus' layin' there sleepin' the day away." Cid explained, a smirk on his face and not bothered by that in the slightest.

"Oh, I see." Zack responded, a bit softer than usual.

"Ah, who gives a damn? Anyways, got the food, bedding, and teething covered. What else? Hmm…I think that's about it." The blond hummed in thought, deducing that was all he could tell.

"And, since you knew one of my hard to hear about stories, I'm gonna give you a discount on whatever you get, kid! I can sense you've got some damn good potential and it'd be almost a shame to charge you an arm an' a leg!" Cid added, patting Zack's back firmly once again, almost making him drop everything he was currently holding.

"Wait, are you sure? You barely even know me!" Zack gasped.

"Yeah! It's no big deal! 'Sides, Vincent seems to like you, and he don't like most of the customers that come in here!" The former chief laughed as he reclaimed his twig form his belt loop and chomped down on it again. "Just bring all yer items to Shera an' she'll give ya a total. I gotta scoot, later kid!" Cid spoke, bidding farewell with a wave.

With that, he took towards the stairs near the back of the first floor before disappearing up them swiftly. Zack just stood there for a moment, completely stunned that the former chief of the Dragon Army gave him advice and even gave him a discount too! He stated that he had potential, just like Sephiroth had stated a few days ago. It seemed like a ton of people had been saying that lately. A smirk wiggled its way onto his face as he did one last comb through the store, picking up extra things as he needed them.

Today was good and could only get better! Zack zigzagged through the aisles, filling his arms with all of the things he needed for both an egg and a hatchling. By the time he felt satisfied, he'd probably be able to take care of his dragon with ease for the first two months! So, he took his items over to the counter that Shera was now standing at again, smiling at him brightly.

"Did Cid help you out well enough?" She asked as she prepared a bag for all of his items.

"He did, he's really nice." Zack responded with a grin of his own.

"Oh good! Sometimes people just get so star-struck around him they can't even talk! Or he'll scare people off with that mouth of his. It's usually a whole lot worse if he doesn't like you." Shera responded, making conversation as she bagged all the necessary items and products into the spare satchel.

"Kind of an enigma then?" Zack theorized, keeping the conversation going for a moment.

"Yeah, for sure." She responded as she finished putting the items away. "Alright, since he specified to give you a discount, you'll only have to pay eight-hundred Gil instead of twelve hundred." She finalized.

"Wow, that's cheaper than I would have expected!" The teen peeped, pulling out the currency he had on him and counting it out on the counter.

"Well, it's not like you're buying brand name items or something. Everything here is practically homemade." Shera clarified with a smirk.

"Right! That should be eight-hundred!" Zack smirked, handing the correct amount to the brunette.

"Alright, thank you very much for shopping with us! I wish you luck as a Dragon Handler!" She smiled, waving him off when he claimed the bag and tossed it over his shoulder.

"And thank you as well." The teen beamed before he returned the wave. "Nice meeting you too, Vincent!" He called over the counter.

The dragon growled something akin to that of a sleepy farewell before falling silent again. With that, Zack spun on his heel and walked through the rows of merchandise one last time before stepping outside. A glance up to the sky informed him it was still cloudy as ever, a few darker colored clouds brushing over the lighter underbellies of the others. There might be some rain forecast later today, hopefully it would wait to rain until after he got his egg. He wouldn't want to be soaked or for his egg to get cold. Recalling he had already squandered enough time as is, he hurried back to his home as fast as he could go, not wanting to be late to go pick up his dragon egg!

He weaved in and out of venues, causing a few people inside to gasp or let out a startled cry. He maneuvered around people in the streets when they took too long to speed up or move out of his way, sprinting the entire time. His energy was starting to rise even though he was dashing around at top speed. The excitement trilled through his blood and fueled his adrenaline to the max, pumping his muscles to work harder, better, faster, and stronger.

He jumped passed the stairs and towards the familiar side of the first tier, running even faster now that he was on home turf again. He hoped he wasn't going to be late to picking up his dragon egg because of setting up a cozy spot for it.

 _'_ _That's what happens when you run late!'_ He scolded himself as he spun around a person and carried on like before.

If only he hadn't stopped in that fortune telling tent, then he wouldn't be late! Besides, what did she even mean about titles and inner reflections? It was all confusing to him and he couldn't make heads or tails out of it. If only those gypsy's could be a little more specific. He never even got an accurate reading of his future either, what a bummer!

His inner musings screeched to a stop when he found the blacksmith shop in the nearby distance. So Zack spurred himself and kicked it into high gear, wanting plenty of time to set up and then go claim his egg! As soon as he skidded to a stop, he threw open the front door and scurried inside, shutting it quickly and rather loudly behind him. His breaths finally started to grow heavy now that he wasn't moving anymore and his legs were beginning to burn from the sprint.

"Zack? Is that you?" Angeal called from the depths of the workshop.

"Yeah, I'm back! I'm not late, am I?" Zack inquired as he stepped inside the ashy colored shop.

"Actually, you're a little early. What'd you do, run the entire way there and back?" Angeal prodded with a grin, turning away from his anvil to glance at his nephew. Genesis glanced up too, a purr-like growl in the same fashion as his handler's inquiry.

" _Early_? Yeah, I ran all the way back, but I actually got a bit sidetracked." The teen responded as he stepped up beside his uncle. "So what time is it anyways? You know?" He urged.

Angeal rolled his eyes and glanced over to their clock situated on the wall right above their open venue. The hour displayed was still noon and had not changed yet. These mechanized clocks could surely be handy on cloudy days such as these.

"I'd say you still have enough time to get the bedding for your egg set up. Once you finish that and find a place for your other things you bought, we'll head out." The blacksmith deduced with a grin.

"Sweet!" Zack exclaimed.

With that single word, he parted from his uncle's side and dashed to the living room. He heard Genesis growl angrily, upset he didn't get any kind of greeting or hello. Zack quickly peeked his head from the living room.

"Yes, hello to you too, Genesis." He greeted before disappearing back into the other room again.

The Kazilik huffed a bright gray ring of smoke in bland annoyance, the action earning a few chuckles from his handler before they got back to work finishing up their last order of the day. The young teen, however, was already up the stairs and in his room by the time they went back to work with hammering and lighting fires. He glanced around his small bedroom, wondering where a good place to put the bedding would be. He figured he should put it close to him, that way he'd be nearby in case he sensed the dragon inside needed something from him.

He looked over his cluttered desk, eyeing it analytically before shaking his head and looking elsewhere. His desk was way too cluttered to even put a quill on it without disrupting something, even if he knew where everything was that way. His next thought was one of the bottom shelves of his bookcase, but he dismissed that idea too. The shelf was much too small to put a dragon egg. Those things could range anywhere from one to three feet in height. A shelf could barely hold a larger than normal book. He thought maybe the top of his dresser would be good; it'd have plenty of sunshine and warmth. But he shook his head to that too. All of those places were too far away from his bed anyways, and he wanted to keep his dragon egg close by.

So his eyes roamed over to the last piece of furniture he had in his room besides his own bed: A small end table right next to it. However, he usually had his small candle sitting there that kept his room alight at night. But there was a drawer underneath the surface. He shuffled over to the small end table, setting the bag of supplies down on his bed before pulling open the drawer. It had a large and deep space inside, plenty of room for a dragon egg if he left it open! Plus, it was right next to his bed, so he could also keep an eye on it at night.

As for the other items he purchased, he could put those near the bottom shelves of his bookcase, the thing was rather empty and could use some filling up anyways. With a spot in mind, Zack opened up the bag from its spot on his bed and rummaged through it, looking for the bedding he bought. After finding it wedged at the bottom of the burlap sack, he yanked out the bundle of loose hay and straw as well as a small quilt.

He untied the rope around the bedding and placed it into the open drawer, arranging it as necessary and puffing it up in other spots. He then unfolded the small blanket and placed it around the hay in the shape of a sloppy circle, patting at it a few times to make sure it wasn't too firm or too soft. When it felt just right, he nodded with a big grin on his face. He spun on his heel and took the bag off his bed and over to the empty shelves in his bookcase.

He arranged the assortment of food and other supplies on an individual shelf, while the other things like an outfit or two went folded up on the one above that. At least his bookshelf looked well stocked by this point. He heard a chime from downstairs echo past the barricade of the closed living room door, even over the noise of his uncle working away at his anvil. The clock was chiming the first hour of the afternoon, signaling high noon had come and passed.

Zack's heart felt like it was going to explode from anticipation. He could finally go and claim his dragon egg! He spun around as fast as he could and booked it downstairs in that same speedy fashion. He was going so fast he forgot to twist the doorknob before pushing the door, so he ended up crashing right into it with a loud _bang!_ Followed by a muted ' _oww!'_. The sound caused the dragon and the blacksmith on the other side to glance up with curious eyes.

He actually too enough time to turn the knob and pushed the door open, his left hand covering his nose as his eyes were winced shut. Genesis started to laugh in his reptilian tongue, his growls bouncing around in his throat while Angeal suppressed the urge to outright laugh, passing it off as if he had an itch in the back of his throat.

"Shut up, Genesis!" Zack groaned as he shot the Kazilik a look, taking his hand from his nose.

The dragon huffed at him after one last laugh, flicking his tail up and down against the concrete floor.

Once he recovered from the shockwave of pain in his face, his sapphire eyes glanced over to his uncle. "Well I'm ready!" He spoke before flashing the older man a quick thumbs up.

"Alright, let me remove this apron of mine and we'll get moving." Angeal commented, setting his welding hammer to the side. "Remember Genesis, while I'm gone you're in charge of the shop." He added, pointing at his dragon for emphasis.

Genesis purred and snorted once, his way of saying he understood the command. The blacksmith nodded as he untied the bow in the back his work apron and removed it, walking over and hanging it on a hook next to his nephew's. His other set of clothes were a bit scuffed, but would suffice. He just had a plain beige shirt and tan pants on with brown boots to bring the ensemble all together. He removed his gloves from his hands and tossed them over his apron.

"Alright, let's go." He stated, clapping his hands together.

"Thought you'd never be ready!" Zack said with a smirk.

* * *

Zack had been inside the castle before, he'd seen the Dragon Army before, but he had _never_ been in the hatchery before. The hatchery was located near the back of the castle and closer to the Midgar mountainside located behind the kingdom. The room itself was like a large rectangle and there were windows covering every conceivable inch of every wall. Even the ceiling was made from glass. At the end of the long hall-like room, it split off in two different directions where the rooms containing the dragon eggs were.

This room was just where the babies they found or the dragons in the army came to frolic and generally catch a break from the elements or training. They had all kinds of equipment set up here, ranging from rope-like bridges for dragons to perch upon or single ropes for them to climb. There were wooden obstacle sets placed near the window-covered walls where the smaller ones could run around, or hide out in a few secret cubbies or tunnels.

Zack could see a few Graylings were skittering about the course while some small Winchesters were talking in reptilian inside one of the cubbies. There was an orange Anglewing hanging upside-down on one of the rope bridges, growling loudly when another dragon got too close to its spot. A fluorescent orange and yellow Bright Copper was climbing one of the single ropes to reach the upside-down dragon. It swatted at the Anglewing and knocked it off the bridge before claiming it as its own with a contented purr.

"Welcome to the Dragon Hatchery, you must be Zack, the newest Dragon Handler." A voice echoed from near the back and over the clamor of the beasts playing.

Zack quickly glanced ahead of him to see who had spoken up. He saw three figures approaching both him and his uncle. The one who had spoken was a female and she was leading the other two towards them. She had wavy copper-red hair that ended at the base of her shoulder blades and a pair of russet colored eyes blazed brightly in the windowed room.

The other figure on her left had blazing red hair that would probably make any red colored dragon envious. It was wild and choppy and a long strand swayed behind him as he walked with a bit of a slump in his posture. He had riding goggles slopped over his forehead just like Cid, except his looked a little more worn-out. His bright blue eyes were blazing against the afternoon light and the red markings underneath them only enhanced the color.

The last figure on the right was mocha skinned and lacked any kind of hair on his head. He was wearing dark-lensed bifocals that looked a bit odd and hard to see out of, but wearing them regardless. His posture was rigid and firm, like his spine was a metal rod rather than vertebrae. The thee figures were all dressed nearly identical: black long-sleeved tunics, black pants, and ankle high black boots swarmed over their bodies. The only difference is that the woman's tunic was an oval cut near the breast line and she had white long sleeves under her tunic, while the rest had dark gray.

They paused when they only stood a few feet apart, the female with a kind smile on her face. The mocha skinned man still looked stiff and unapproachable while the red-head looked very smug and grinned a grin that showed that arrogance.

"I'm Cissnei, and these are my partners, Reno and Rude." She introduced, gesturing to herself and her associates.

"Yeah, I'm Zack, and this is my uncle, Angeal." The teen acknowledged, doing the same as they had done.

"Is Gast out at the moment?" Angeal asked suddenly, glancing around the Hatchery.

"Actually, he's looking at the newest egg as we speak. He wanted us to do our introductions and get them out of the way." Cissnei responded politely.

"Um, who is that?" Zack asked sheepishly, feeling like he should know this individual.

"Gast is the head honcho of the Hatchery slash Playground duo. I guess you could say we're the guy's students." Reno spoke up with a big, sly grin.

"We will escort you to the proper room. He would like to meet you, Dragon Handler." Rude monotonously spoke, using his hands to gesture for the two to follow their lead.

So that what they did, the uncle and nephew following the students through the rectangular room and towards the back. A few smaller dragons screeched at them as they walked by, going to perch on their rope bridges and stare at their retreating forms. When the hall split, they were lead to the smaller room on the left. There was a wooden sign hanging above the large door reading 'Imported Eggs', whatever that meant.

The wooden door was opened gently by Cissnei, as she threw in a "They've arrived" into it.

The group shuffled into the smaller room while Zack was glancing all around in observation. This room was completely made out of windows as well, even if it was smaller. The ceiling was different though. It was a stain glass window colored mainly in blue with a white crescent moon overlapping an orange sun while all sorts of rainbow dragons created a ring around the symbol.

"Ah, so you must be Zack, the newest Dragon Handler!" A voice recognized.

The distracted teen stopped gazing at the stain glass ceiling and looked straight in front of him. There was an older man standing there with what could have been a smile on his face, it was hard to tell past the thick black mustache that covered it. It appeared as if it was beginning to grow into a handlebar shape, for the ends of the hair were longer than the rest by a half inch or so. He had short black hair slicked back with a predominant widow's peak. He had dark tinted bifocals on as well and shielding the colors of his eyes, so the color could not be made out. He was clothed in simple white colored robes and black boots. His appearance seemed a little distant, but the way he spoke seemed very gentle and at east.

"Yeah, that's me –er, I'm Zack." He responded. Now that he was here, his excitement was trilling through his blood all over again, making him stumble over his words.

"Come over here, would you? I think you'd like to take a look at this." Gast motioned, waving him over with his hand. "Ah, you three may go." He added to his pupils quickly.

The three took their leave with quick bows, leaving through the door and shutting it behind them when the last one left.

Zack tried to glance over the man's large frame as he approached, trying to see what he was standing in front of, but to no avail. It wasn't until he was standing right in front of him that the taller man backed off and stood next to him, a gentle hum passed through his nose. There, now sitting right in front of the teen's face, was his dragon egg.

But it was unlike an egg he had ever seen before. He had studied all of the common and rare dragon eggs within the entire Midgar mountainside and the surrounding lands, but none of them looked like this one did. His egg was on the small size, roughly about two feet long, give or take a few inches. But it was the coloration of the patterns on the shell that really caught his eye. In the middle of his egg was a red oval, under that, it had a solid gold stripe underneath. Then, beneath and to either side of the stripe lay two more red ovals lying flat instead of long. One last golden stripe lay underneath those markings, but otherwise, the shell's color itself was a plain old white.

"Out of all the eggs brought to the Hatchery and out of all the years I've studied in this field, I have _never_ seen an egg with these kinds of markings before. There have been near identical ones, but never like this." Gast explained, gazing at the small egg himself.

When Zack took one step forward, an unexplainable feeling of anxiety washed over him. He stopped mid step, frozen with wide eyes. He felt scared, exposed, and nervous. Why was he feeling like this?

"Zack? Are you alright?" Angeal quickly asked.

"I feel weird." Zack responded simply, still not moving an inch closer to or further from his egg.

"How so?" Gast inquired.

"Exposed mostly, kinda nervous." The teen responded, his eyes never breaking contact with his egg.

"That must be emotions from the egg. Go ahead and put your hand over it, see if you can't calm it down." The mustached man gestured.

"Are you guys not feeling it?" Zack questioned as he took another step, wondering how on earth they _didn't_ feel this overwhelming wave of anxiety like he was. It felt like it was just pulsing throughout the entire room.

"Not a thing. But surely you remember, only Handlers can feel what their dragon feels while in the egg stage." Angeal responded.

Zack nodded, but did not speak. Instead, he took another step closer to his egg. That feeling increased tenfold, but he couldn't pinpoint _why_ his egg would be radiating these frightened waves. Unless it was scared of all these people, or this place. Maybe it was even frightened without his presence? Reassuring himself, Zack reached out and ran his right hand over the shell of the egg, eyes widening at how brittle the husk felt under his gloved fingers. When his hand touched the egg, the waves stopped instantly, and something akin to that of joy and safety filled his heart. A smile pulled at his lips from the sensation it brought.

"I did it." Zack spoke with a gentle but happy voice, his hand stroked the shell of the egg tenderly, as if to send it comfort from his end.

It was almost as if he could feel the little baby dragon move around in the egg to get closer to the presence of his hand over its temporary home.

"Zack?" Gast spoke up quietly, as to not disturb the moment of dragon and handler bonding.

The raven-haired teen glanced over his shoulder, never taking his hand from the egg. "Yeah?" He asked.

"Because I haven't seen an egg like that and only something similar, I'm going to give you this…" The older man drawled, walking around the desk the egg was sitting atop and opening a drawer beneath it.

He pulled out a thick red book and wiped a layer of old dust off the cover with his hand, cocking his head and humming before deciding to blow the rest of the dust off the top. The particles fluttered through the air, barely visible in the cloudy atmosphere from outside. The book was held out for the younger man to take, whom accepted it with his free hand.

"It's a world edition of dragons and their eggs. Usually, we give the new Handlers a smaller version adapted for Midgar breeds, but I think this might be more beneficial to you. If you're lucky, your dragon's egg and breed might be in there." He responded.

Zack's eyes read over the cover, taking in the fact that it looked just like the dragon booklet he had memorized, but much bigger and thicker. His other hand continued to remain on his egg, not wanting to stop letting it know he was there without having to say it.

"Thank you, Mr. Gast." He responded with a grin, tucking the book under his arm.

However, he glanced to his egg with a perplexed look on his face. "That's weird…" He muttered, feeling other spots of the shell. "My egg is really cold now." He commented.

"Well, I assume you know the basics or egg raising? Keep it close, give it affection, and if it feels a certain way, make sure you provide the opposite of what it feels." Gast questioned before explaining anyways.

"Yeah, I know." Zack responded, also taking Cid's words from earlier into consideration.

So, if his egg felt cold, he'd warm it up. With careful hands, he guided them underneath the egg and lifted it up, surprised at just how light it really was. It was almost as light as the book he was just handed, something he did not expect at all.

"Is it heavy?" Angeal asked, stepping next to his nephew's side, ready to help him out.

"No, it's light. _Really_ light." Zack remarked with a light frown as he held his egg close. He didn't want to forget he was holding it and accidentally end up dropping it.

It had happened before; handlers had gotten their eggs and went to pick them up for the first time, only to discover they were way too heavy or light. Those eggs usually ended up busted to bits with a forming baby dragon dying on the ground below their feet, still wet with embryonic fluid and dying quick, but agonizingly.

Zack's frown deepened when his egg s _till_ felt cold, even though he was holding it close to his chest and gut. Humming in a flat key for a moment, he pondered about how to make it feel warmer. A metaphorical light bulb went off in his head when he realized he was still wearing his black cloak. He unsnapped the clasp around his neck with one hand, the other keeping the small egg secure against his chest. He balled up the fabric in his hand in order to get a good grip on it, then wrapped it cautiously around the cold egg. He then hugged it a little closer, smiling when his egg didn't feel cold anymore.

At that moment in time, he didn't care what kind of dragon would hatch from his egg. He was just overjoyed to actually have one to call his own.

"I'm going to take really good care of you, I promise." Zack swore to the egg, his right hand gently running over the fabric that covered the shell.

He felt joy radiate from the egg and through him like a catalyst.

* * *

A/N: Hop you guys liked the chapter! Don't be shy, go ahead and leave a review and let me know what you thought, okay? :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Zack and Angeal arrived back home to their blacksmith shop just as the rain began to come down. The older man had gotten the door for his nephew, who still had his arms full of bundled-up dragon egg and was grinning down at it sincerely every five seconds. Before closing the door, he made sure to flip the 'open' sign over and display the 'closed' side to the public. He was going to take the rest of the day off and give the younger teen that same luxury.

"We're back, Genesis. Did you catch anything on fire this time?" Angeal called as he made a small joke at the end, knowing very well it was a 'joke' that had happened before on _multiple_ occasions.

Genesis growled in a nonchalant fashion from further inside the workshop, as if implying he didn't touch a thing. The blacksmith was instantly wary and pushed on ahead of the younger raven-haired male. Zack smirked when he promptly heard Angeal scold the Kazilik for catching one of his tools on fire and burning it to a crisp. The dragon then resorted to sassy backtalk to his handler in a mocking fashion.

When the teen stepped in, he saw his uncle flick the beast's snout and point a finger at him. "This is why you don't get left in charge all the time! You always catch something on fire!" He reprimanded.

Genesis started to whine and growl, huffing thick black smoke from his nostrils as almost a threat. Zack felt an uncomfortable sensation settle in the pit of his stomach from the sight. But why on earth would he feel nervous around Genesis? He always behaved like this! Then he recalled he still had his small dragon egg bundled up in his arms and held close to his chest. He held onto his egg a little tighter, knowing it was the small baby inside that was feeling frightened of the much older and bigger dragon.

A sense of comfort washed over him, taking the fear right out of the pit of his stomach. He smiled brightly, ivory white poking out from behind his lips. Being a handler was probably the best thing in the world; the prospect of raising a scaly companion of your own, sensing how it feels even in this embryonic state, and already having a lasting and genuine connection within the first ten minutes. He couldn't be happier right now.

Genesis stopped snorting and fuming, growling in curiosity when he looked over to his master's kin, seeing him coddling a large black lump in his arms. Angeal just shook his head and sighed, knowing his scolding wouldn't get through to his beast anymore. Zack glanced up, the smirk never leaving his face as he approached the Kazilik.

"Check it out, Gen! I got my egg!" Zack displayed, holding up the black bundle carefully, not wanting to lift it too fast due to how lightweight it was.

Genesis leaned in slowly, cautiously sniffing the bundle, catching a whiff of the egg's scent from under the teen's own. It smelled of snow and mountains, a hint of pine lingering on. It was certainly an odd scent for an egg. He growled softly to the small bundle, gently nudging it with his snout.

"So I guess you like him, huh, Gen?" Zack mused happily as he took the egg back closer to his chest again, liking the comforting aura it brought when it was near him.

Genesis growled in a tittering fashion, his usually sharp eyes much easier and gentler looking. Angeal reached up and ran a hand over his dragon's head, his fingers tracing the long black horns and back again.

"Well that's good to know, it'd be bad if they weren't compatible." He commented, scratching under the Kazilik's chin.

"Not compatible?" Zack queried, one of his eyebrows furrowing down while the other one arched.

"It's possible that if two Dragon Handlers live in the same house, their dragons can hate one another. Some beasts just aren't compatible with others. So it's good to know that Genesis of all dragons is." Angeal responded, smirking as his dragon starting purring softly when he reached a hard to scratch spot near the start of his long neck.

"Well, I don't sense anymore fright or nervousness from my egg, so I guess he likes Genesis too." Zack commented, glancing down at the cloak-wrapped bundle. He couldn't bite back another grin from tugging at the corners of his lips.

He had been smiling an awful lot ever since he picked up his dragon egg for the first time. Even if the baby ended up being an herbivore, the teen really didn't care by this point. He was too happy and excited to be disappointed over something trivial like that. Even if he couldn't get into the Dragon Army, it'd be alright, because he'd still have a scaly companion. Well, maybe. Joining the Army was still something he wanted.

"You know, you've always been one for jokes and smiles, but I don't think I've ever seen you grin that much." Angeal remarked with a smirk of his own.

"I can't help it, it just makes me so happy, you know? And plus, every time I look at this egg, I get a huge wave of joy that crashes over me!" Zack explained brightly, snuggling the bundle a little tighter.

Cue another wave of delight from the egg and through him, signal for another smile to slide across his face effortlessly. "I'm gonna go show him my room." He responded absently, turning away from his uncle and his dragon without really looking at them. He just kept his eyes and his attention on his egg.

"Hold on, Zack!" Angeal called out.

The young teen stopped advancing and glanced over his shoulder. "Yeah?" He asked.

"Don't forget this." The blacksmith stated, holding out the thick dragon book given to them earlier from Mr. Gast.

"Right!" Zack chirped, reaching out and taking the book with his left hand, while the right both cradled and secured his egg. When he had a good hold on it, he spun on his heel and shuffled out of the workshop, eyes looking back down at his egg again.

"The thing hasn't even hatched yet and its already got Zack wrapped around its little claw." Angeal observed to himself as he watched his nephew disappear into the living room. Genesis growled softly in agreement.

Zack traversed up the stairs carefully, making sure he didn't get in too much of a hurry. He walked past Angeal's bedroom and into his own via the cracked bedroom door. He wedged his way inside and stood by his bed, glancing around with a small grin on his face.

"I know you probably can't see any of this, but this is where you'll be staying from here on out." He displayed before he quickly tossed the dragon book over on his bed.

He felt a calm and gentle wave rush over him, followed by a smaller wave of excitement. He had to bite his bottom lip to keep from splitting into another wide grin. If he kept doing that, his face would be hurting after just ten minutes!

"So, are you feeling any warmer yet?" He asked as he started to unwrap the egg from his bundled cloak.

As soon was one piece of the white shell was exposed, a wave of bitter cold washed over him and he was quick to wrap it back up in the warmed material again.

"Okay, that's a big fat no." Zack commented, cradling the small egg close to further warm it with his body heat. But he had to shift uncomfortably when he still felt cold. "Come on, you can't _possibly_ be cold all snug like that!" He admonished gently.

But that wave crashing over him assured him that yes, his egg _was_ still cold. He should have never removed that cloak! But what else could he do? He didn't have any other clothes that were warm besides the ones on his body. He blinked once, and then almost groaned when he realized what he'd have to do to warm up the small egg. But he couldn't bite back the smile that swept over him anyways. It _would_ help keep it closer to him.

He removed the belt wrapped around his blue tunic and tossed it to his bed, where it landed against the quilt with a gentle _plop_ noise. He sat against the foot of his bed, cradling the bundled egg in his lap momentarily while he worked out how to do this. He balled up the hem of his shirt and stuffed the egg under it, making sure it swaddled the small object snugly as the bottom half of the egg was tucked into the waist of his pants, to keep it from going anywhere.

"Now I know what pregnant women feel like." Zack laughed as his arms swarmed around the lump under his clothes and pressed against his body.

However, the egg was no longer cold and was radiating a pleasant heat and delight throughout his handler's body, which made him grin like a goofball again. He stared down at the lump under his clothes with a fond and endearing look on his face, completely at ease and feeling rather relaxed.

"But what should I call you?" Zack pondered to himself, cocking his head to the right as he thought.

He still had plenty of time to come up with a name, but he didn't really want to keep referring to the egg as, well, an egg, or 'it'. Then he recalled he still had no idea what type of egg he carried or what kind of dragon breed would yield from it. He might be able to think of something better if he had a more firm grasp on what his breed might look like upon hatching.

He reached over with his right hand and curled his fingers around the thick red book, getting a good grip on it before pulling it towards him. He opened the cover and scanned his sapphire eyes over the introductory page followed by the index. This book definitely had more content then the flimsy dragon booklet he had memorized. There were two completely new sections he had never seen before under the table of contents.

' _Dragon breeds, beasts, and eggs native to Wutai'_ and _'Dragon breeds, beasts, and eggs native to Nibelheim'_. Then it occurred to him that the room they had entered in the Hatchery had the 'imported eggs' sign hanging above it. Perhaps his dragon was found in one of these countries and not Midgar? So he started with Wutai, since that was the first section of the book. It be fun learning about different dragon types for a change! With one hand holding the book up, the other remained resting over the dragon's egg hiding under his shirt.

He glanced through each entry, seeing both the egg and the dragon that hatched from it. He really wanted to see if he could find an egg similar to his own, but curiosity about new species of dragon's kept his occupied with reading each entry at a time.

The First entry showed a golden colored egg with platinum stripe at the top of the egg and a dark gold stripe near the bottom. The dragon picture displayed next to it was that of an Akhal-Teke in three different colors that they could come in: Platinum, gold, and dark gold so dim it could pass for black. The eggs were roughly the size of a man's chest, says the data.

Origins state of the name meaning 'Celestial horse' or 'Pure Teke' depending on translation from the natives. The breed is known for their speed, endurance adaptation to a desert climate and with a metallic sheen to its coat. The entry stated these eggs flourished near the barren desert beside Mount Corel, but when their homes were tore down for renovation of the town North Corel, the eggs were transported to the mountains of Nibel, where they learned to adapt to the wintery climate as well. They were a medium-weight dragon with average sized wings.

Zack turned the page to see an entire new entry. There was a red and gold splotched egg that looked much larger than any other he had ever seen or read about before. Next to the egg was the dragon known as the Shao-Lung, or more commonly known as the Scarlet Flower. These dragons were colored crimson with gold tinted talons and a yellow crest running down their spines from a many horned head. Apparently they were ill-tempered and enjoyed fighting so much they were military exclusive and were solely for women handlers. That sounded like a really cool dragon to have, but it didn't match the egg that Zack possessed.

He felt a brief wave of distrust and hurt shoot through the egg and to his core.

"What? Are you _jealous?_ " Zack mused as he glanced away from the book and to the lump under his clothes.

Another surge confirmed his suspicions. So he moved the book to the side and just ran his hands over the shape of the egg, smiling at it while assuring the baby dragon inside that he was the only dragon for him. At first, the egg was reluctant to accept the affection, but eventually caved and sent small waves of comfort and happiness through him. Once the envious creature inside was satisfied, the teen picked the book back up and flipped to a new page instead.

The next breed was of a Shen-Lung, the egg that contained the beast came in varying shades of blue-gray and with a few different patterns. The dragon itself was of the same varying colors as the egg itself, some possessing spiked spines and some lacking the feature. They were a very common breed of dragon and could either be clever or lazy like most humans. There was even a 'Long-winged' Shen-Lung breed, but it had died out thousands of years ago.

Another page to another breed. This one was of a Sui-Riu, the eggs ranging from dark greenish-black to silver-gray. The dragon itself came in those colors as portrayed on their respective eggs. Their main characteristics were heavy-finned heads, stubby wings –kinda like Genesis, and large white or gray eyes. They were very long beasts and had tendrils draping either side of their face, their horns were short as well, pointed back on their heads.

This breed was rumored to be able to summon thunderstorms, but they could swallow and store large amounts of water, being able to disperse it in violent gusts and torrents. These dragons live in water and can even breathe under it, being able to live in any size of water bodies, but flourishing in the ocean.

The next breed was definitely different than the rest. The eggs were only a deep purple color, nothing else. The dragon next to it was an Uturuncu; these beasts were only a deep purple color with feathery scales, blood red eyes, a serpentine shaped body and very long wings. It almost looked like its head was in the shape of a dinosaur with ruffled spikes on the back of its neck adding some kind of fringe. There wasn't much known about this breed other than that.

Another turn of the page. Although Zack didn't realize a few of the pages had stuck together, resulting in him turning to the middle of the Nibelheim section without him even knowing. This page was double sided, with two similar looking eggs on either side but with different names and data. Zack's eyes widened when he saw that either of those two eggs looked almost identical to his own. The entry on the left page was that of a Petite-des-Cieux, in which the egg looked almost like the one he possessed, except this picture showed the eggs not containing golden stripes, while his did.

The dragon next to it had long visible ears against the sides of their heads and rounded beige horns in between them. These dragons even had varying tufts of golden or black fur under their chin and at the tips of their ears. They had a red marking on their forehead and three smaller ones under their eyes. They also had a red stripe across the tip of their large ears and down their back, as well as a few on the thin spines of their wings. The tips of their tails had tufts of fur on them as well.

These dragons were rather small, only growing up to four feet tall and six feet long and their primary diet consisted of vegetables and greens. An herbivore.

But the picture on the right caught more of his interest. The egg in the book looked almost identical to the one currently snuggled next to him and under his clothes, save for the fact that the picture-egg could contain blue specks on the bottom of the egg with the white, gold, and red combination. Zack had never seen blue on the bottom of his egg, but for this breed it, the variations differed.

This dragon was known as a Re-Nuvole, and looked identical to the dragon picture on the left. But there were some major differences: This one had two red stripes on its ears and an extra set of stripes near the base and the end of their wing spines. As for the long red stripe down their back, it had a strange hexagonal gap in it, stretched to be more long than square, kind of like a six-sided long gem. Those gaps were in the middle of its neck, back, and tail. There was even an extra tuft of fur on its front legs, right where the limbs bent. This breed also had red and blue metallic markings in the velvety coating of their wings, similar to that of a Celestial dragon.

But barely anything was known about this breed because it hadn't been seen in over four hundred years, rumored to be extinct or on the verge of it. The only thing known about them was how large they could grow in their full-blooded form. They could grow to be twenty-two feet tall and forty-feet long, with wingspans even more massive then their length, rumored to be fifty feet long completely stretched out. That was even larger than a Regal Copper! That dragon was rumored to be the biggest beast within all of Gaia.

So Zack had two possible dragon outcomes. He could either hatch a Petite-des-Cieux or a Re Nuvole. But the Cieux seemed more logical, seeing as the Nuvole was practically extinct and hadn't been seen in over four hundred years. But there was still a possibility. So he had a fifty-fifty chance of hatching either one, depending on how his dragon looked when he hatched. So, taking those names into account, Petite-des-Cieux roughly was translated as 'Smallest of Skies', while Re Nuvole translated to 'King of Clouds'. The two names had similar elements, very alike.

The image of the large white dragon on the stain-glass window in Castle Shin-Ra flashed through his mind, recalling he had seen that while viewing his uncle's and dragon's memories. He remembered the banner with 'Re Nuvole' underneath. Were the dragon breed and the stain-glass window connected somehow? He could only shrug and dismiss the thought for now.

Zack smirked as he closed the large dragon book and set it to the side, satisfied for now. His arms swarmed around his bundled up egg from under his clothes, his sapphire eyes glancing down at the oval-shaped bulge.

"How about I call you…Cloud?" He suggested with a gentle grin.

He was instantly hit with an overjoyed and greatly pleasant sensation, being so strong he nearly had to lean back to make it less intense. Aftershocks of excitement trilled and bounced off his body, the little dragon completely in agreement with his name already.

"Well then, Cloud it is." Zack confirmed with a proud smile, hands caressing the egg tenderly.

When he glanced up, he realized that it was no longer early afternoon, or afternoon at all for that matter. The cloudy sky was ablaze with orange and yellow overcast clouds, the rain stopping hours ago without the teen even realizing it. There was deep indigo and dark plum hanging above the sunset, night about to encroach the world in comforting darkness.

"Wow, it's already starting to get dark." He commented vaguely to himself, realizing that the natural light in his room was beginning to darken with each passing second.

He was careful and tentative about standing up from his bed, arms cradling the egg stuffed into his clothes for added protection and warmth. He didn't want it to fall out and crack, he couldn't take that risk. He shuffled over to the other side of the bed where his end table was situated. He quickly glanced at his candle, making sure there was still enough wax and wick to light it properly. When he deduced there was, he was quick to light it up. Soft light then bathed the darkened room, adding a much needed glow.

"Hey, Zack. Make sure you-" The voice of Angeal chimed, only to stop mid-sentence.

Zack turned around to see his uncle standing by his cracked bedroom door with a curious look on his face.

"What is that?" He asked, pointing to the bulge under his clothes.

"Oh! My egg still felt cold, he feels fine like this though." Zack responded, feeling a little embarrassed about the older man finding him looking like so.

" _Still_ cold? Well, I can't talk, Genesis's egg always felt way too hot to the touch even when I put him in a cold bath." Angeal recalled with a small smirk. "Anyways, I was going to say make sure you go to bed at a decent time tonight, there's a ton of orders we have to work on tomorrow." He reminded.

"Okay! Wait, what am I gonna do about Cloud? He might get cold or something if I leave him alone." Zack inquired, hands continuing to cradle the egg under his clothes.

"So you've already named him I see?" Angeal mused.

"Uh-huh, I thought it suited him." Zack admitted.

"Well, you can bring him downstairs tomorrow, just make sure you put him in a safe place."

"Alright, that sounds good."

"Right. See you tomorrow then, goodnight."

With that, Angeal stepped away from the door, cracking it how it was before he had leaned in.

"Goodnight." Zack called. He felt a small surge from the egg, as if he was saying goodnight too.

"We probably should be going to sleep ourselves." The young teen noted as he glanced back to the window once more.

The sunset had faded fast, bright moonlight washing in through the glass in its place. The night sky was bright, still barely tinted with late dusk, but even that was starting to sink away faster than the evening sun. The days here in Midgar tended to start late, but last long. The sun wouldn't wake up til seven and wouldn't set until near nine. Blacksmiths always woke up before the sun too, so if he wanted a decent amount of sleep, he needed to head to bed.

"Well then, let's go ahead and put you to bed." Zack directed as he removed the egg from his shirt and pants, keeping the cloak wrapped around it though.

Instantly, waves of iciness trilled through his core, slowly spreading through his whole body. He could feel the baby dragon inside squirming, as if upset or scared about being put down. It made his heart lurch and his stomach turn.

"Hey, I don't like this anymore than you do." Zack remarked as he placed the egg in the hay and quilt stuffed drawer next to his bed.

He was quick to remove his tunic and undershirt, wrapping those articles of clothes around the black bundle nice and snug. He fluffed the straw, packing it around the lumpy egg carefully and tenderly. But he was still feeling cold waves rush through his body via his dragon's needs and emotions. The teen sighed with a smile on his face as he stepped out of his pants too. He wrapped those around the egg as well, making sure to swaddle it tightly and cover every conceivable inch. Thankfully, that was enough for the egg to feel warm again. While Zack no longer felt cold, there was a small sense of emptiness from the lack of his egg in his arms.

He was quick to shake his head, however. He wasn't going very far from him at all. His bed was right next to the end table and the covered egg was always in close proximity and in sight as well. He shuffled over towards his dresser to grab a change of clothes that were more comfortable to sleep in. He changed into the loose beige shirt and nicely fitting pine green pants with ends that dragged around on the floor. He could feel an upsurge of anxiety pulse through his body and he knew it was his dragon egg crying out for him.

"Cloud, stop freaking out, I'm right here." Zack assured as he shuffled back over to his bed.

As soon as he was in close proximity again, the sensation subsided as a neutral calm feeling settled between them. The raven-haired teen pulled back the quilt lying against his bed and hunkered into the coolness of the cotton-coated feather-down material, sinking his head into the pillow made and covered with the same material. His sapphire eyes glanced towards his eggs completely buried under his clothes and surrounded with hay and quilts. A smile pulled at his lips for probably the eightieth time that day as he couldn't resist reaching over and running his hand over it one last time.

"Goodnight, Cloud." He softly spoke before he leaned over and blew out the candle. A soft surge in his core told him that his dragon returned the temporary parting for sleep.

The room was coated in an indulgent darkness, and the individuals inside drifted off quickly. Of course, that didn't mean that got to sleep for very long. There was surging for both attention and company within the span of an hour. Then in an instant, the drawer was pulled from the end table and placed against the bed.

"Only had you for eight hours and you're already spoiled." Zack commented before he fell under a deeper trance of sleep.

The egg was completely content after that.

* * *

"Here's your order! Everything look good?"

Zack was currently manning the front venue of the blacksmith shop the following morning. Angeal hadn't been kidding when he said there were tons of orders to do! They had just finished their fourth order of the day and there were still many more to go, not to mention they'd been at it since seven, and it was nine now. Of course, it didn't help whenever more customers would pop up out of nowhere and order something off the fly or want to test out some of their weapons.

It _really_ didn't make things easier with a new dragon egg either. Zack had to leave the small thing near the fire to keep it warm, but that didn't stop the anxiety and the distressing feelings from churning his stomach and making him all kinds of flustered. He had to work through it right now while his egg was crying out for attention and to feel the presence of his handler. As much as he wanted to smother that forming baby dragon with copious amounts of affection and warmth, he couldn't just walk away from his post and leave his uncle to do all the work.

He even had a small homemade chocobo toy sitting by the egg to keep it company. He had put it together the other day when he realized he had all of these dragon supplies, but no toys or companions for when the egg hatched. His sowing skills were decent enough to put a quick little bird toy together out of an old shirt or two that he no longer wore and some bartered stuffing as well, even being able to find some small black beads to use as eyes. For added enjoyment, he put a small tinkly bell inside it before patching it up all the way. It lessened some of the loneliness, but it wasn't like having the real handler's warmth and presence.

Zack still had tiny red marks and pokes on his fingers from accidentally pricking himself with the needle. He thought he even got blood on the inside of the toy at one point, hopefully that was just the bad lighting. So trying to use his fingers to grab and touch –even behind his work gloves, stung and burned. He had to be a little careful with them, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

Genesis was helping whenever he could, surprisingly enough. Whenever he didn't have to keep a constant fire lit, he would gently trace his tail over the eggshell still swaddled in his master's clothes from the night before. The teen dressed in the clothes he slept in with some boots and his smithy apron thrown over it.

It would definitely lessen the stress on Zack's part whenever someone was at least able to pay attention to the egg during this busy morning. He was trying not to show the fact that his mind seemed elsewhere and he was rather shaky, but sometimes it would come through when those uneasy feelings managed to become so overwhelming it would cause the handler to grow lightheaded and nearly fall over. If he didn't grow faint, then he would shake even worse, dropping things or having his voice quiver like his hands.

"Yeah, everything looks good! Thanks again!" The customer acknowledged before stepping away from the venue.

Zack leaned over the counter, glancing to the left and right. He made sure no more people were coming before he tore away from the stand and disappeared into the workshop. He spun around Angeal –whom was hammering away on a new blade, to reach his egg. He instantly picked it up and held it close to his chest, the fretfulness and the need for attention quenched instantaneously.

"Cloud, you know I can't carry you around in the workshop. I could drop you, or hurt you." Zack explained to the egg. "If there was a way I could, trust me, I would. But I can't carry you and work at the same time." He added on, his tone a little crestfallen.

He didn't like having to stay away from his dragon egg for very long either, but there wasn't much he could really do about that. So, whenever he could catch a break, he'd love on his egg for as long as he possibly could. He felt a surge of disappointment straight to his core, which only served to rile him up further.

"I know you're lonely, but when you freak out, _I_ freak out. When that happens I can't focus properly and have to spend even _longer_ away from you. Understand?" Zack pressed, wondering if he could even reason with a baby dragon.

But the little dragon agreed, sending a small and slightly reluctant wave of acceptance to his handler. The young teen smiled as he ran a hand over the top of the shell tenderly.

"Hello?" A voice called from outside the venue.

"Ah, Coming!" Zack called from over his shoulder. He glanced back down to his egg for a moment. "I'll be right back, okay? I'm not going very far either, so don't freak out so much." He said before placing the egg back in the end table drawer and bundling him up nice and tight.

He quickly hurried back to the front of the shop, already feeling the unhappiness from his dragon start in the pit of his stomach. But he braced a smile as he entered the small area that displayed their wares.

"Hello! What can I do for you this fine morning?" Zack inquired politely.

"I'm here to pick up an order? It should be under the name Gosbeck." The older man responded courteously. He had a full head of graying hair and a beard of the same hue. He was a bit on the husky side, but looked rather kind.

"Ah, yes! Let me fetch it from the back!" The teen replied in a chipper tone.

He spun on his heel and scurried out of the awning, hastily making his way where they kept the finished orders on the other side of the workshop. Cloud started to surge desperately from the confines of his eggshell, knowing his master was very close by again. The desperation was so strong that it caused Zack to grow faint fast enough that he lost his balance and fell against the order table, leaning into it for support.

The clatter caused Angeal to look up from his work with heavy concern. Even Genesis glanced up with a worried growl of his own. The teen struggled to get back on his feet, using the table as both a crutch and support.

"Zack, are you alright? Is he surging too much?" Angeal quickly asked as he set his hammer down.

"No, I'm fine." Zack reassured, grabbing the correct sword for the customer.

"I know it's taking a toll on you. If I had known he would have been this attached to you, I never would have made you work today." The older man quickly responded, seeing through that façade with ease.

"Seriously, I'm fine. I can handle it." The teen responded, regaining his balance and gripping the sword tight in his hands.

"…Alright, but if I see you go down like that again, you're taking the rest of the day off." Angeal finalized, pointing a finger at his nephew to make sure he got the message.

"Okay." Zack responded, quickly taking the sword back to the owner waiting at the front.

He was trying his best just to quickly walk in a straight line. With his egg pulsing that want and need like he was doing, it was really hard to stay on task. Not only was it taxing on himself and the dragon, but it genuinely upset him that he couldn't hold his egg close and do his job at the same time. He was fond of blacksmith work, but he hated knowing his dragon was lonely, even if they were practically in the same room.

"Sorry about that wait, here's your-" He stopped mid-sentence when his dragon felt him walking away again, making him surge for his master intensely.

He lost his balance and fell against the wall, leaning into it for support, with his whole back slouched and his feet barely under him. His hands were still managing to hang onto the blade by some stroke of luck.

"Are you alright, young one?" The older man asked, his aged brown eyes displaying concern.

"Totally peachy, I'm just a little weak on my feet is all." Zack responded, shaking it off as he used the wall as a crutch to make it to his spot in the awning again.

"Is it alright if I ask why?" The old man inquired as his sword was placed against the wooden counter.

"Oh, I just became a Dragon Handler and got my egg yesterday. The little thing won't stop surging for me is all." Zack smiled, his whole demeanor brightening when he mentioned his baby dragon.

"My dear boy! You only got your egg yesterday and you're already back to work? That's not good!" The man exclaimed.

"Huh? How is that not good?"

"For the first few days it's imperative a dragon and their handler be close at all times! If they are separated, it causes a great deal of stress on both parties and can cause serious behavioral problems later on in life for the dragon." The old man explained.

"Are you serious?" Zack asked, instantly becoming frightened of ruining his dragon without meaning to.

"Very! Not to mention that while still in the egg stage, that's when the beasts are at their most vulnerable. It's an evolutional gene they've developed from being born in the wild. They can't help the fact they cling to their handler, it's the only thing they know as safe." He added.

"How do you know so much about that?" Zack inquired.

"I have a dragon myself. He was just like yours from the sounds of it: Always wanting attention and surging when he felt scared. Of course, being a Dragon Researcher helps too."

"You mean, when they surge they feel s _cared?_ "

"Of course! They don't know anything except the essence of their handler." The man responded.

"I'm not going to ruin him for leaving him alone this whole morning, am I?" Zack quickly asked, his hand over his heart.

"No, just make sure you don't do it for a long time! Anyways, I'd say as soon as you finish up with me, you make sure your dragon knows he's safe, and take the rest of the day off too, okay?" The old man encouraged.

"Well, my uncle just said if I fall over like that again then I have to take the day off. So I think that's taken care of." Zack remarked, realizing he had fallen into the wall on his way back here.

"Good! Now what do I owe you for the blade?"

"Ah, the total is three thousand Gil."

The heavier-set man counted out the correct payment before offering it to the young teen, whom took it and thanked him for his patronage. He parted ways with a wave, the younger man doing the same. As soon as the man left, another wave of desperation hit Zack head on, making him stumble back into the wall from the painful sensation flourishing in his chest.

"Zack, get back in here right now! You are not in any condition to be working like that!" Angeal called from the depths of the workshop, authority in his voice.

"Coming!" Zack called back, waiting until his strength returned before he thought about moving again.

As soon as he regained his strength, he peeled his back from the wall and scurried into the workshop. However, his eyes widened in fear when he saw his dragon egg rocking back and forth wildly in the drawer, knocking into the wood with a clunk. The clothes that were once wrapped around it had been loosened and were now leaving the brittle shell exposed. The egg itself was banging against the deep walls of the drawer. When it rocked over to the left, there was a soft _crack_ sound the resonated into the air. He hurried over as fast as he could as yanked the egg right out of the drawer. Something didn't feel right.

He looked over every inch of the egg, soon finding a crack in the shell on the left side. His sapphire eyes further widened, his body falling to the floor knees first from the shock and terror that pulsed through him. His egg was silent, not gushing any kind of emotion. Genesis squawked quietly, seeing the events transpire and alerting his handler. When Angeal glanced over and saw his nephew slumped to the floor with a horrified look on his face and egg in hand, he was quick to throw off his work apron and gloves, hurrying to the young teenager's side.

"Zack, what's wrong?" Angeal quickly asked, kneeling beside his nephew with visible concern etched across his face.

"Th-There's a c-crack…" Zack whispered, his voice stuttering as his eyes never broke away from the split in the white shell. Before the older man could open his mouth, the teen was quick to go into panicked hysterics. " _Angeal, what if that hurt him? Oh God, it didn't kill him, did it? H-He's not surging, I-I can't feel him in there!_ " He gasped, his breathing becoming uneven from the horror.

"Zack, calm down. Breathe." Angeal reminded, placing his hands over his nephew's shoulders.

" _I-I can't lose him! I just got him!_ "

" _Zack!_ "

The teenager stopped fretting long enough to lock horrified sapphires into soothing midnight. As soon as he ceased his hyperventilating, he felt a small wave from inside the cracked egg. He quickly looked down at it, hoping that hadn't been some phantom feeling. But when he felt the same pulse, he knew it wasn't an illusion. It was a gentle beat, one that Zack recognized as the forming baby dragon being content and happy when in his arms.

He exhaled shakily and cradled the egg against his chest, his arms swarming it protectively. Genesis growled in a soft fashion, leaning over the two humans on the ground so he could get a look at the egg himself, as if to gauge his own diagnosis of its condition.

"I was going to tell you not to worry about a few cracks in your egg. They don't harm the dragon, as long as it's not a drastic case. Genesis had more cracks than shell after two weeks." Angeal commented with a smile.

"Now, you're taking the rest of the day off. I'll handle the rest even if it gets busier than this. Now that I know how strong your connection already is, I'm going to have to give you more than one day." The older man finalized. "Or until you can figure out how to work and care for your egg at the same time, either or." He added.

"Alright, I guess I can't argue about that." Zack laughed, his hands carefully wrapping the clothes around his egg again, seeing as how they had loosened.

When his egg was nice and wrapped up again, he stood back up on his feet and placed it into the drawer carefully, just to make carrying it a little easier for the moment.

"I'm going to go to my room for a little while, so if you need me, I'll be in there." Zack spoke as he picked up the drawer and held it in his hands securely, also placing the homemade chocobo toy next to the egg, snuggling it up next to the warmed bundle.

His dragon radiated joy from the presence of both his handler and the toy made for him.

"That's fine. When I finish up the last of these orders, I'll take a break so we can get some lunch." Angeal responded. Genesis growled out his own version of a 'ta-ta'.

"Sounds good!" The teen agreed, flashing a smile at his uncle and his dragon before he took to his room.

He briskly cut across the living room and up the stairs, continuing to move until he entered his bedroom. He took a moment to soak up the sunlight pouring in through the window and bask in the warmth it brought. When he felt satisfied, he scuffled over to his end table, sticking the drawer back into the slot carefully. He immediately removed his egg afterwards, cradling it in his arms as he sat down on his bed, leaving the toy in there for now. There was joy and satisfaction radiating from the baby dragon inside as he was embraced in the arms of his handler.

"Alright, Cloud. Don't do that ever again." Zack chided gently.

There was a small beat of understanding that echoed from the shell before it settled into content and adoration. A smile pulled at the corners of the handler's lips before he leaned over the egg, hugging it gently. Of course, his core was burning with exhilaration and glee after that, signaling that the dragon inside adored the new display of affection.

He couldn't resist a gentle laugh when he felt how excited the dragon inside the egg got over a simple hug. He was certainly going to be one sweet and loving dragon when he hatched from his egg. Unable to contain himself, he lightly hugged the small shell again, smiling brighter when more waves of joy rolled off the egg and into his core like water.

"Yup. Spoiled." Zack commented.

* * *

Hope you all enjoyed the chapter! :) Leave a review if you want!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

Cloud had been in Zack's life in his egg phase for a total of five whole days now. He was still as needy and affectionate as ever, never liking it when his handler walked just ten feet away from him. Ten feet was just simply too far! Of course, the teen had to go back to work sometime, but he had finally figured out how to keep his dragon egg close and work at the same time.

He crafted a harness out of spare straps of leather found around the workshop that usually made the covers of the hilts or sheaths of the blades. The harness strapped over his shoulders and secured the egg against his gut as he wandered about the shop, helped weld weapons, and carry orders to and fro their customers when they arrive to pick them up.

It felt good to be able to work and keep his dragon close to him. He usually got stir crazy just sitting around trying to find something to do. Within his first two days off, he ended up reading that entire dragon book Mr. Gast had given him from start to finish. But he didn't have the whole thing memorized yet. Over the weekend following those days off, he had figured out how to make the harness for his dragon egg. Throughout all of Monday, he had been able to work at his fullest potential while keeping his growing baby dragon company.

Tuesday had rolled around the corner, cue another work day.

"Come and see us again soon!" Zack called to the retreating form of a customer. "Hello there! What can I do for you?" He asked to the next man that stepped up to the counter.

Tuesdays weren't normally very busy. They could have their moments in the morning, but they usually tapered off to a halt by high noon and left them with an early day to close up shop and relax.

"Here to pick up a blade under the name of Longfellow." The man stated politely.

"Alright, be back in a sec!" Zack chimed, spinning on his heel and hurrying back into the workshop.

He shuffled over to the table where the remaining orders sat finished, gleaming against the light of the fire in the furnace nearby. Angeal was hammering another blade once again, while Genesis was in the middle of breathing fire over the cooling steel. He scanned over the blades, eyes skimming over the parchments below the hilt stating which sword belonged to which customer. When his sapphire eyes connected with the correct name, he gripped the handle of the short sword.

"You doing okay, Zack?" Angeal inquired when he glanced up from his work.

"Yup! Totally fine! Cloud's on his best behavior today, so I'm great!" Zack responded, swinging his arm over his chest with his fist clenched in a determined fashion.

"Good. Let me know if you need to take any breaks, I'll adhere to them." The blacksmith assured.

"Gotcha!" The teen responded.

With that, he was quick to scurry towards the front of the shop again, his uncle going back to welding his current project while Genesis growled softly as he watched. He hopped back to the front, laying the blade down against the counter carefully.

"Here it is! Your total is going to come to twenty-five hundred Gil." Zack explained.

The man started to dig through his coin satchel to pull out the required amount, while he did, he couldn't help but comment on the young man's appearance.

"I do not mean to pry, but do you have some kind of growth on your gut? You look rather swollen, dear boy." He remarked curiously.

"Oh! That's just my dragon egg!" Zack responded, pulling his work apron out of the way to expose the harnessed egg. "This is the only way I can work without having him freak out." He explained with a big grin carved into his face, covering the chilly sphere again when a gentle wave informed him the little one inside was cold. He always got so happy and excited when his little dragon was mentioned.

"My, what a privilege! I had always wanted a dragon of my own, but never received a mark. But I have Spitfire, my little drake." The man smiled as he handed over the required amount of payment. "Take care, young one." He bade before waving farewell and stepping away from the venue.

"You too!" Zack called after him. He couldn't help but shake his head and smirk. "Spitfire huh? What is it with people and naming their beasts something fierce or threatening? I'll never understand." He smirked, his hands absently caressing the covered shell of his egg.

He felt the egg squirm from inside the harness, gently wiggling about as the dragon inside grew fidgety. Cloud had been rather squirmy as of late, always wriggling around inside his egg whenever he was mentioned or got small amounts of affection. There had even been times he got so wild he had nearly jumped right out of the harness, making his handler scramble to grab a hold of him, then chide him for it later. He had already done that twice this morning, it made him wonder why he was so wiggly.

Zack glanced from the left and the right, making sure no more people were coming up to their venue. When he deduced they were on the down-low for a while, he retreated back into the workshop, hands cradling his egg tenderly from under his work apron while he watched his uncle and dragon work.

"Alright, I think one last blast ought to do it, go ahead and light it up, Gen." Angeal commented, backing away from the new sword he was welding.

Genesis sucked in a deep breath and spit some thick and rather pasty fire onto the blade, the silver metal shining orange and turning scalding hot to the touch. The blacksmith grabbed a bucket of water sitting idly beside his work anvil, dumping the contents over the molten blade, the steam hissing and rising from the steel like smoke from a wildfire.

"Alright, as long as we don't get any more customers, that should be our last order for the day." Angeal said, his hands on his hips as a smirk spread across his face. "Good work, Gen." He praised, his right hand running over the top of his dragon's head.

Genesis growled, nudging his head closer to his master while the older man chuckled in that deep baritone voice of his. Cloud started to squirm wildly again, causing Zack to curl his arms over the egg tighter, to prevent him from bounding out on accident.

"Hey Angeal?" He called from his spot near one of the support beams.

"What's up?" Angeal inquired, glancing behind him while he continued to stroke his dragon's head and horns.

"Cloud's been really squirmy lately, does that mean anything?" Zack considered, hands keeping the wiggling egg in place.

A smile slithered across his uncle's face. "He's probably close to hatching." He suspired, before adding, "How often has he been moving around like that?"

"Um, since yesterday afternoon." Zack recalled, unable to contain a big and bright smile from washing over his face at the idea of his dragon hatching soon.

"I'd say you'd have a dragon on your hands by tomorrow at that rate."

An even wider smile stretched across his face at that, his excited eyes glancing down to the egg-shaped bulge under his work apron. The small thing continued to squirm and wiggle around, radiating his own version of exhilaration and joy.

"Anyways, let's go ahead and break for lunch. You wash up, I'll get started on the cooking." Angeal suggested as he removed his gloves and apron.

Genesis growled in delight, a forked tongue scaling across his snout at the idea of a delicious lunch. The blacksmith parted from the shop and towards the living room, the serpentine beast following behind him quickly, forcing his body through the doorframe with a bit of struggling and effort. From in the distance, the young teen could hear his uncle say something about cooking and working all the time and never doing anything else.

Zack continued to stand there, a never-ending grin on his face as his hands stayed curled around the cloaked egg. He was still wriggling around from inside the shell, elation and eagerness trilling through him and to his handler's core with ease.

"Wouldn't that be amazing if you hatched tomorrow?" Zack spoke, his tone light and dreamy as he thought about it.

He pulled himself from his daydreams with a shake of his head and a bigger smile on his face, stretched so wide he thought the corners of his lips might split from the tension in the muscles. He removed his own set of work gloves and apron, hanging them up on his own metal rack beside his uncle's. A chilling wave of ice rushed over him, making the hairs on his arms stand on end. His egg was exposed to the air of the workshop, which was warm for the handler, but cold for the dragon.

"I know you're cold, give me a sec and I'll get you nice and warm again." Zack soothed.

He'd have to go back to his bedroom to get his cloak and throw it over his egg. For some reason, he really liked that cloak of his and was always comforted and snug when it was wrapped around him. Maybe he could sense the familiar essence of him on the fabric? He pondered that thought as he walked through the living room and hit the staircase. He made sure he had an extra tight hold on his egg as he ascending the steps, not wanting to take any chances in dropping him.

He bypassed his uncle's room and scurried into his own, shuffling across the small room to lay the egg against his comfortable bed. He unclasped the bottom of the harness and shrugged it off, folding it over his arms before he placed that against his end table next to his candle. He then claimed his folded black cloak from the foot of his bed, draping over the small post on the right. He flung it out, getting the clinging bits of dust and dirt out of it before draping it over and tucking it all around his egg.

Comfortable warmth pulsed through him and he knew the little egg was warm again. Zack then proceeded to change out of his dirtied clothes. Working in that sooty shop tended to make just about every outfit he owned dirtied with ash and black. That often explained why laundry had to be done almost twice a week.

He shrugged out of the shirt and the pants, changing into something that could pass for outdoorsy, but comfortable enough to lounge about it. He settled on a simple navy blue long sleeved shirt, complemented with tan pants to bring it all together, the ends of the shirt loosely tucked into said pants. He tossed the dirty clothes across the room and into a small pile by his closet door, the bundle held together in a small wicker basket. He pumped his fist by his side when the wad of clothes landed right into the basket.

"They should make something like that into a sport, but with a ball or something. Hey, they could call it 'basketball'! That's catchy!" Zack commented to himself with a laugh.

But his musings were brought to a gentle halt when he heard a strange set of noises grunting out from behind him. Perplexed, he swiveled around to glance over to his bed. However, his chest felt extremely light and his butterflies began to flutter in his stomach when those sets of noises were coming from inside his squirming egg. He bounded over to his bed, jumping onto the foot of it and observing the egg as it thrashed about against his bed. He could hear more muffled squeaks and grunts from under the protective coat of the white shell.

There was joy and determination swelling through him in that moment, as well as a feeling of pride from his own set of emotions. His heart skipped a beat when he heard the shell crack near the top of the egg. His hand slapped over his mouth as he realized his dragon was about to hatch. He sat there in stunned silence for a moment as he watched the egg sway from side to side as the babe inside fought to break out. He quickly tore his hand away from his mouth, wanting to let his uncle know what was happening.

" _Angeal! Hey, Angeal! You've gotta come see this! Cloud's hatching!_ " Zack cried, his voice carrying out of his room and echoing throughout the living room.

He quickly turned his attention back to his egg, which had fallen over on its right side and was still rolling around and wriggling. There were some more cracks and snaps following the first one, trailing all across the shell in multiple places. From over the squeaks, pops, and cracks coming from his egg, he also heard the quick footsteps of his uncle climbing the stairs. Genesis was growling in different kinds of fashions, trying to follow after as well. The older man entered the bedroom swiftly, lingering by the door.

"He's hatching _already_?" He gasped. Surprise evident on his face and in his eyes.

"Yeah! Look!" Zack chirped, pointing to the wriggling egg on his bed.

Angeal took a few steps closer, lingering by the bedpost as he too observed the scene. Genesis could be heard trying to clamor up the stairs loudly, screeching at the fact his dragon body was too large to climb those small steps. There was the sound of the dragon jumping off and hurdling himself over the banister on the second floor for a moment. He quickly scurried over and stuck his head into the room, too big to fit in the smaller doorway.

Zack's eyes were back to his egg again, watching as it turned upside-down and propped itself up against his pillow. There were a few more squeaks before the bottom part of the egg snapped off, a long white tail wiggling out of the gap. A tuft of fur was attached to the tip of his tail, and a red mark branching off into two near the end of the appendage could be seen as it flicked around.

The teen was smirking and laughing softly, watching as his dragon hatched completely backwards and turned around in all the wrong ways. Another piece of shell shot off near what was the original top of the egg, a floppy white ear with a tuft of fur flopping out and landing against the quilt of the bed softly. Two rings could be seen curled around the fluffy looking attachment. Another piece near the bottom broke off, the dragon's legs joining his flicking tail. His little feet were very tiny and looked just like the paws of a cat, little pink pads on the bottom of his little rounded, clawed feet. So far, it was like looking at old drawings of demons from years ago, how they had human bodies, but animal-like feet or legs. The egg then fell over on its side, the hatching little one falling over with it with a squeak.

More pieces were broken off slowly and one by one, the dragon's lower half free from the shell and sitting coyly against the bed while everything waist up was still hiding in the egg, save for that left ear still sticking out. The half-free hatchling squirmed wildly, trying to get the rest of the egg off him. There were higher pitched squeaks and grunts, ones of annoyance as he had trouble breaking free.

But eventually he broke out of the rest of the egg with a determined squeal, his form tumbling and rolling from the force of what was probably a headbutt. He only stopped rolling when his tiny body collided with his handler's knee. He lay there face up, tail wedged in between his legs as his eyelids slowly parted open. Cerulean blue eyes danced with the early afternoon light washing in through the window, those little orbs glancing up to the face of his handler with awe and surprise. Puffy blond spikes decorated his head, as well as a pair of soft, rounded horns sitting atop it.

Zack was grinning wildly, a hand over his mouth from the adorable display, effectively hiding that wild smile. His little dragon was so adorable and so freaking tiny! That two-foot egg just made him look even smaller in comparison, the little one only being a foot tall! His scaly tail almost looked to be longer than his body and his floppy white ears were possibly a quarter of the size of said body. He was so small he could probably fit in the chest pocket of his blacksmith's apron!

On his face, there was a small red mark in the middle of his forehead that shimmered brightly in the sun, almost glistening like a gem in the sunshine. There were three smaller red marks under his big blue eyes. Those markings were exactly similar to the patterns on his eggshell, and the red and gold made up the stripes on his body and the tufts of fur on the tips of his ears and tail. His small mouth was hinged open as he took in the sight of his master. He looked even better than how he thought!

Cloud, the little baby dragon, rolled over on his side and worked his legs and arms under him before pushing himself onto his feet, or, trying too. He just ended up doing a sloppy somersault and falling over on his side with an alarmed squeak. Zack smiled brighter before he reached out to the tiny dragon, curling his hands around the small body before lifting him up from his bed and closer to him.

The hatchling let out another squeak, blue eyes wide in fright from how high up he was hovering. But he felt much more secure when he was pressed against his handler's chest and held tenderly in his large hands. Those glistening eyes glanced up to his handler as he let out another squeak.

"Hi, Cloud. I'm Zack; your handler." The teen introduced, two fingers stroking through the fledgling's soft golden hair and over his furry ears, even brushing over those rounded horns.

Cloud started to purr from the touch, eyes closing as he pushed his head against those warm fingers. He arched his back as those digits trailed down his spine, purring louder before adding a little squeak at the end. However, when he heard another set of steps, he was quick to cease purring and glance up with wide blue eyes. There was a completely new face in his line of sights, one he did not recognize.

The baby dragon let out a frightened squeal, hiding his face in the material of his master's shirt, which stopped petting his ears and back. He dared to peak one dewy eye at the mysterious stranger and greet him with a tiny mewl, his long tail curled against him, the tuft of golden fur hiding the bottom half of his face.

"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you." Angeal soothed, gently reaching out to touch the small beast.

Cloud was very hesitant, pushing the side of his face deeper into his handler's shirt when that hand got too close for comfort.

"It's alright, Cloud. Angeal's a really nice person." Zack assured in a gentle tone, his chest vibrating and purring against the tiny dragon's body.

He stopped backing into his master, allowing that hand to lightly run across his ears and pet his puffy, spiky hair. When the touch was gentle and sincere, Cloud squeaked softly, giving the man known as Angeal a few purrs as well. His touch wasn't as soothing or comforting as his handler's, but it was nice nonetheless.

 _"_ _Hey._ " A strange voice called.

The fledgling's floppy ears were quick to perk up at the sound of a very odd, yet very familiar voice. He glanced around him, mewling quietly, as if asking who had said that.

 _"_ _Over here, by the door!"_ The voice motioned.

Cloud peered through a gap in Zack's arms and behind him, where a dragon sat looking at him. His big blue eyes widened at the sheer size of the other dragon. He quickly broke eye contact with the beast and pressed his face back into the sweet, soft protection of his handler's shirt.

"Hey, don't be scared of Genesis. He's a dragon, just like you, Cloud." Zack spoke, carefully standing up from the bed and walking over to the Kazilik.

 _"_ _Yeah, listen to the kid. I'm not going to set you on fire or anything, I just want a closer look like everyone else."_ The voice echoed from the dragon once more.

The teen crouched to the floor in front of Genesis, balancing on the balls of his feet as he glanced down at his dragon.

"Cloud, this is Genesis. He's a Kazilik, and he's also Angeal's dragon." Zack introduced.

Genesis leaned in closer, cocking his head to the left and the right as he gazed at the hatchling. _"You look funny."_ He stated bluntly. _"But not bad. Grow up some more though. You skitter around like that around the workshop and you'll get stepped on for sure."_ He added in his dragon voice, huffing a gentle ring of smoke at the little one.

It was at that point when Zack stood back up, pulling the adult and the baby dragon apart for the time being. Cloud was quick to hide his face in his handler's shirt again, not liking the large amount of others near him anymore. He was starting to feel nervous and wanted some one-on-one time with his master, like how he felt in his egg.

"Well, I should probably get back to fixing lunch." Angeal stated as he stepped out of the room, Genesis backed his head out to let his handler through. "I think you and your dragon could use some alone time." He added with a smirk.

With that, he started to go back downstairs, throwing a soft 'you too, Genesis.', over his shoulder. The Kazilik peeled away from the door and leapt from the second floor, landing on the first with a thump and a slight tremor throughout the rest of the house. Before Angeal's voice faded completely, he could hear his uncle scold the dragon about landing so roughly like that indoors.

Zack stepped away from the open door and shuffled back to his bed, sitting on the foot of it again as he continued to cradle the tiny dragon. He realized he'd have to clean up the eggshell bits later though, noting that they were still scattered over his bed. Cloud however, had different intentions. He wriggled around in his handler's grip, oversized tail flicking wildly.

"Woah, okay, okay!" The teen appeased, gently setting the hatchling against the bed tenderly.

He watched his dragon shakily move across his bed, attempting to both walk and crawl at the same time and generally just falling over and tumbling around more than anything. Locomotion was always awkward for the newborns within the first hour or two of hatching, but they usually got it entirely down pat by their first day of being out of their eggs. The little dragon tumbled over to where he had first hatched, where most of his eggshell bits were present. Zack watched him with a smirk on his face, but that turned into near horror when he saw the little baby start to eat the shards of his shell.

Was that normal? Did all dragons eat their eggshells? All of a sudden, every bit of knowledge Zack knew about dragons vanished in an instant and he drew a complete blank. The thick dragon book he had received from Gast said something about how baby dragons behaved after they hatched, maybe that would have the answer he needed? Seeing as Cloud was preoccupied with ingesting the remnants of his shell, he was quick to bound up from his bed and scurry over to his desk.

He pushed a few rolls of parchment out of his way and loose papers as well until he found the thick red book buried under the mess. He quickly flipped to the pages that entailed how baby dragons moved about, acted, or what they did upon first hatching. His finger traced the lines of words, searching quickly and hastily. When it came to the matter of their remaining shells, he slowed and read at a comprehensible speed.

So far, he was finding no information about the subject. He was just about to throw the book down and stop his dragon, but then he came across the last paragraph of the section. The details included that while most dragons destroy their shells to bits, there had been rumors of a few breeds being able to eat their shells and then vomit a pearl a few hours later. But it was just a rumor and unproven. Reading that, Zack threw down the book and ran over to Cloud with an alarmed cry.

But by the time he got there, the dragon had already ingested every last shard of shell, his small, gently forked tongue licking his lips as he finished off the last sliver. He looked back up at his handler with big blue eyes before he squeaked with pride and smiled. The haggled handler quickly scooped the tiny humanoid dragon into his arms, worry brimming behind his eyes.

"Why'd you eat that, Cloud! Oh God, those shards aren't going to cut your little insides up are they? Ooohh God no! I can't handle that! If you die because of this I'll have to kill myself for not being an informed handler!" Zack rambled, looking over every inch of his dragon; lifting his tail, peering into his floppy ears, even inspecting his shimmering eyes.

But his worried rambling was cut off when Cloud squeaked and purred, nudging his little face against his chest and rubbing it from side to side, as if to comfort him. His tail flicked from side to side and his floppy ears hung low against his face.

"Okay, I'll calm down. But don't expect me to be calm when I see even the most _smallest_ or _minutest_ thing wrong with you!" Zack warned, a smirk forming over his face as his index finger gently bopped the baby dragon's nose.

Cloud let out a happy squeal at the gesture, his tail flicking up and curling around his handler's finger. The young teen smirked wider and bopped the hatchling's nose again, an ivory white set of teeth flashing when the dragon squealed again. It then occurred to him that the small babe was still denude and laying in his bare skin with only his tail to cover him. He recalled buying a few outfits from Cid's dragon shop nearly a week ago, and he had put those items on his bookcase shelves. With his fledgling still in hand, he rose once more from his bed and walked over to his moderately stocked bookcase.

He browsed through a few of the shelves before coming across the dragon items he had purchased. He frowned when he realized he had a very small dragon, and the few clothes he had bought were going to be big on him. He rummaged through the items before pulling out the smallest article of clothing he could find among his small collection. This thing was just going to swallow the baby. But he shrugged, knowing it was the best he could provide for the moment. Besides, when he grew, he would grow into the outfits and save him the trouble of having to go and shop for some more.

He pulled the small shirt from the shelf, accidentally pulling out something else along with. He paused and gently nudged the homemade chocobo off what he was currently grabbing, but the way it jingled caused Cloud to glance up with a curious growl. When his jewel-like eyes caught a glimpse of the large toy, he let out an excited squeak as his tail began to swish back and forth, ears twitching gently, able to recognize the essence of the toy that his handler had made for him before he even hatched.

"What? You want this?" Zack inquired, pulling down the toy with the shirt, wondering what a tiny hatchling would do with something slightly larger than his own size.

He shrugged dismissively when the small baby growled in happy agreement. He shuffled back over to his bed and sat against it again, setting the toy against his pillow, Cloud following as well. For a moment, he watched the little fledgling wobble towards it on unsteady feet, falling into it with a squeak. The toy jingled quietly as the baby dragon purred and rubbed its face against its soft material. Then he stretched up on his tip-toes and took the soft beak into his mouth, sloppily gnawing on it already.

Zack smiled as he gently pulled the hatchling away from the toy, knowing he wouldn't be able to clothe him if he was pressed into the soft thing. Cloud gave him an upset squeak, wanting to snuggle and gnaw on the new toy some more.

"You can play with it later, okay? I need to put this on you first." Zack explained, setting the small dragon against his lap.

He bunched up the slate blue fabric until the hem and the neck were pinched together. He was quick and careful about pulling it over the babe's head, said little one mewling while the task was being accomplished. His small arms were pulled through the long sleeves of the soft, dusty blue material, then the rest was pulled over his back and tucked under his rear. Yeah, that shirt swallowed him alright. The turtleneck top was loose around his tiny neck, and the sleeves were so long they gobbled up his hands, the ends draping underneath them. The hem reached down a few inches past his rear, which kept him covered and warm in the sweater shirt.

Cloud sat on his rear, holding his right arm up as the sleeve dangled in front of his face. A big grin split his mouth open as he took the floppy fabric into his mouth and sucked on it, his tail swishing back and forth as he continued to sit in his handler's lap. Zack's middle and index fingers came down and stroked his soft hair and tickled under his droopy ears, making the small hatchling smile and squeak through the sleeve in his mouth.

"I still can't believe I'm a handler." Zack spoke to himself as he smiled down at the baby dragon sitting in his lap contently.

His fingers absently smoothed back those wild golden tufts of hair, pet those furry ears, and rounded over those nubby tan horns. Cloud continued to sit there and smile, still sucking on his shirt sleeve as he was given copious amounts of affection, his bright cerulean eyes shimmering like dew in the morning. Those diligent fingers traced over the stripes running down his tail and over his ears before realization dawned on him. Now that his dragon had hatched, he could tell what breed he really was.

Zack gently picked the small baby up from his lap, setting him in front of the chocobo toy tenderly before he rose from his bed. Before he could take a single step away from it, Cloud was squeaking at him with distress in his little voice. The handler glanced behind him to see the hatchling frowning at him with big, watery eyes. The sleeve was out of his mouth and the arm hiding inside was reaching out for his master. He had to admit, his heart ached at the display.

"What? You wanna come too?" He asked gently, leaning back over as he ran a finger across his dragon's ear.

Cloud squealed in agreement with the same upset tone of voice as before. Zack caved in easily, picking the small dragon up and holding him in the palms of his hands with ease. That distraught look vanished as a bright and happy smile took its place on the hatchling's face, his tail flicking gently as it hung behind him. The handler got an idea at that moment. He gently raised his hands up and deposited the little baby against his right shoulder.

The blond-haired humanoid righted himself on his handler's shoulder, turning around carefully and snuggling his face into the warm neck beside him. Zack laughed, index finger petting the babe's clothed back. With that, he took careful steps over to his desk, making sure the fledgling had a secure grip on his shoulder. The little one didn't go anywhere and watched where they were going with doe-like eyes filled with avid curiosity.

The young teen reclaimed the book he had tossed down earlier, flipping open to the page that displayed the Nibel breeds of dragons. Cloud however, caught interest in his master's spiky black hair. He carefully climbed around his shoulder and towards the back of his neck, before he wedged his small body into his master's hair, the collar of the shirt supporting his legs and rear. The sensation sent chills throughout Zack's body, making him laugh when the dragon unintentionally tickled the back of his neck. The hatchling found great joy and peace hiding in the thick black spikes, so he kept himself hiding within them, only his tail visible as it slashed through the air behind him.

Zack flipped through the pages until he came across the double-entry near the back of the section. He read over the characteristics of the Petite-des-Cieux before comparing them with Re-Nuvole. First deduction, the more common breed had one red stripe on their ear, while the rumored extinct breed had two. The raven-haired teen hummed in thought, unable to clearly remember how many stripes were on the dragon's ears.

"Okay, Cloud. I know you like my hair, but can you untangle yourself from it and come here?" Zack asked, patting his right shoulder a few times.

The hatchling squeaked in agreement, unraveling himself from those dark black locks as he sat against his handler's shoulder just as he was instructed to do. He was gently pulled off his shoulder and held in his free hand. Cloud looked up at his master with curious eyes, cocking his head to the right as his ears twitched once. The teen analyzed those floppy white ears to discover two red stripes across them.

Checkmark one for the Re-Nuvole. Second trait, the red stripe that ran down their back split into two near the base of the tail for the rarer breed, while the common one did not split. A quick glance to his dragon's tail confirmed the second checkmark for the rare breed. The other characteristics he couldn't compare since he had to be in dragon form to tell. But most newborns couldn't change to their full form until they were at least three months old.

But so far, the few physical signs he could see told him he was in possession of a Re-Nuvole dragon, a breed rumored to be extinct. But he couldn't be exact until he saw more distinct characteristics. That mean Zack possibly had a dragon he knew nothing about. No diet information, no psychological attributes, no _nothing_. The only thing he knew is that his dragon could grow to incredible proportions when he became an adult. How could he raise a beast he had no information on? Surely there had to be come kind of record about it somewhere! Then his eyes light up when an answer became clear for him.

Castle Shin-Ra's library had thousands upon thousands of books all about dragons of old and young! However, one had to have special clearance to enter the great hall. Zack instantly deflated when recalling that vital piece of information. How else could he find out exactly what kind of dragon he had? He had no idea what to expect! Could he breathe fire? Ice? Could he spit acid or even fly? He had no _idea_ what the breed was capable of.

While Zack's face contorted and twisted in thought, Cloud watched him intently, cocking his head to either side whenever his handler's facial expression changed. He eventually became amused with this little game, grinning wildly as he tilted his head to and fro.

But the game was over when the teenager recalled there was a way he could get clearance to the library! Angeal and General Sephiroth had old ties, so perhaps if he were to visit the Dragon Army tomorrow, the dragon general could give him permission to access the library! However, he couldn't leave Cloud alone either, so he'd have to come too. But, was it bad to take newborns out and about of their home so early on? He had no idea the temperament his dragon possessed either. It was just all kinds of confusing! As a last ditch effort, he decided to check and see if the book could tell him anything.

He flipped through the pages, skimming through the content briefly until the section he was looking for caught his eye. He read through it speedily, eyes glancing back and forth quickly, the dragon babe watching them with a smile on his face. After a quick scan, his frown deepened. It was very bad on a newborn to leave their home after recently hatching. They had to grow accustomed to other settings, places, and people before they could even venture outside. Only if they were a curious and adventurous breed could they go outside upon hatching. But not knowing the type of behavior the breed retained, he couldn't push his luck.

He closed the book with a gentle smack, tossing it against his cluttered desk. If he could just get in without upsetting Cloud, it'd be a snap, but he didn't want to risk giving his newborn a psychological breakdown from pushing him too fast. He heaved a heavy sigh, the exhale making the strand that hung in his face sway gently.

How else was he going to find anything about his dragon if he couldn't even go anywhere for a while? Maybe he could let Cloud explore the backyard tomorrow? If he liked it, then maybe he could still go to Castle Shin-Ra with his dragon? But how would he cart the little guy around? It was dangerous for baby dragons to walk around outside even riding on their masters shoulders. They could get knocked off, or someone could grab them and make a break for it! It had happened before; handlers had gone outside with their hatchlings, only to have them stolen from them not long after, the handler unable to find the babe after that due to the fresh and near nonexistent connection.

He'd have to see if his dragon even _liked_ being outside, had to find something to carry him in, maybe do a test around the marketplace to ensure Cloud wouldn't freak out _,_ then try to find a way to get access to the great library inside the castle! So much do to just to see if there was anything that could tell him _anything_ about his dragon's breed! Who knows, there might not even be any information at _all!_ Once again, he had to heave another tired sigh. It was just too much to do. He'd probably have to wait until his hatchling adjusted to life as of this moment and not have to worry about anything more.

Cloud cooed at him in a curious fashion, his head tilting to the left. When he felt that his handler was sad, he didn't like that one bit. With a peep of determination, his little arms grappled onto Zack's sleeve and he started to climb his way up his arm sloppily. Of course, that had the teen quickly singing a different song, especially when he lost his grip and started to slide down his shirt sleeve with a panicked squeak.

"Cloud, be careful!" He warned as he cradled the dragon's rear with his other hand, keeping the tiny beast from sliding off his body altogether.

The fledgling squeaked in appreciation, his tail wrapping around his master's wrist as his face nuzzled the warm blue sleeve, his droopy ears flopping against the sides of his marked face as he did so.

"You're still just a bit too young to be climbing around on things yet, wait until you get the hang of walking around first, okay?" Zack advised as he carefully raised his hand up and draped the little dragon over his shoulder.

Cloud peeped in agreement as he situated himself over the broad shoulder comfortably. Zack however, still wanted to find out more about the breed of dragon he had. Was he a carnivore or an herbivore? Did he have any powers or was he just a plain-type dragon? Did he still have a chance at entering the Dragon Army, or not? He wasn't going to lie; he was still concerned about getting into the military, it _was_ one of his biggest dreams besides actually owning a dragon.

The other breed that closely resembled what he possessed were small, docile, leaf-eaters. Did that mean a Re-Nuvole would be as well? Or were they completely different than a Petite-des-Cieux? This is why he wanted to find out more, but at least for now, he was stuck. Still, it's not like that was all going to be a bad thing. He still had a dragon, regardless of everything else. He knew he was going to be spending a lot of time with the little babe, noting how attached the small beast was to him ever since he first picked up his egg five days ago.

"Zack! Come downstairs, lunch is ready!" Angeal called from downstairs, his voice carrying from the kitchen to echo into his small bedroom.

"Be there in a sec!" The young teen responded, making sure his voice could reach his uncle.

Cloud winced from the volume and used his sleeve-swallowed hands to push his ears against his face, effectively plugging them with a small whine.

"Oops, sorry about that, Cloud." Zack apologized, his index finger and thumb gently massaging those floppy white ears.

The small dragon purred from the affection, big blue eyes shimmering with delight as his tail flicked from side to side behind him. The handler smiled at his dragon before exiting his room slowly, giving the small baby adequate amount of time to look around and observe a new set of surroundings. The humanoid blond glanced all around him, squeaking inquisitively as he scurried from one shoulder to the other and back again. When he seemed to settle, Zack moved forward, taking to the stairs as he descended them carefully.

With every bob up and down, Cloud squeaked in an appropriate fashion, much like a child drawling out their voice over a bumpy dirt road to hear how funny it sounded. The handler was back to biting away smirks, his mouth already sore from all the smiling he did earlier this afternoon. He touched down to the moderately sized living room and paused.

The hatchling was back to scurrying from shoulder to shoulder and taking in all the sights: The couch pushed up against the wall of the staircase, the fireplace adjacent to that piece of furniture, a bookshelf with tons of books across from the stairs, a posh rug decorating the wooden floor below his master's feet, and a small table in front of said couch with a candle or two and a dog-eared book lying beside it.

Zack started to move again, the small fledgling quick to regain his grip on his handler's shoulder with sleeve-covered hands. They walked through the living room and entered the nice earthy colored kitchen. Cloud's big eyes enlarged from the change of dim and comfortable to bright and lively. He softly squeaked as his master took a seat at the kitchen table, where a small bowl of oats, fruit, and a small serving of cooked meat sat. Genesis was in his humanoid form, sitting by his own plate full of another heaping serving of raw meat.

"So, did you two enjoy each other's company?" Angeal asked as he took a seat at the table himself.

Cloud quickly shrilled in alarm and scurried to the back of Zack's neck, burying himself in those thick black locks to hide from the less familiar human, his tail poking out from the base of his neck as the tip flicked quickly from side to side, the tuft of golden fur swishing right along with.

"Yeah, he's pretty dependent, but he's really sweet." Zack responded, hooking his arm over his shoulder to pet at his hatchling's clothed back with two slim fingers.

"That's good. It'll make raising him properly much easier." Angeal responded as he took a bite of his oats.

"What do you mean by that?" Zack mused, arching a single eyebrow as he glanced over to his uncle.

The older man just smiled before responding with, "You'll end up finding out." quickly taking a bite of meat following the statement.

The young teen just hummed in thought, not really understanding what his uncle meant by that. Even Genesis was chuckling quietly in understanding. They were obviously keeping him out of some kind of loop, but no matter, he'd figure out what they were talking about eventually. He shrugged before taking a bite of his own lunch while Cloud continued to hide in his hair.

* * *

A/N: Hey everybody! How've you all been? :D I hope this newest chapter was up to par and to your likings? :)

If you enjoyed it, don't be afraid to leave some feedback or a comment and let me know what you thought of the chapter, okay? :3

toodles!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

By late afternoon transitioning into early evening, he knew _exactly_ what Angeal was getting at. It had been good for the first few hours, just giving his baby dragon copious amounts of affection and care, observing him as he got the hang of walking around on his own, and even climbing all over his arms and shoulders. But it was after all of that when he realized that raising a dragon meant more than just keeping it company like how it was in egg phase.

Zack was sitting on the foot of his bed with a big grin on his face, watching Cloud play with the homemade stuffed chocobo that was just a bit too big for him. The small hatchling was gnawing at the toy's beak and growling at it in a high-pitched voice. When he tugged at the soft orange beak, the toy came leaning in towards him. There was only enough time to let out a frightened squeak as the toy fell over him and covered him completely, save for a tail thrashing about.

"Woah, hang on, Cloud, I got you." Zack assured quickly as he lifted the fourteen-inch tall toy from the miniature dragon's body.

The hatchling had his small sleeved hands covering the back of his head with his rear up in the air. His ears were pressed against the sides of his face and he was whining pitifully. The teen gently hushed the small dragon as he picked him up in his hands and lifted him off the bed and further towards him. The little baby nestled his face against his handler's shirt and whined into it, globby tears squeezing from his watery eyes as he whimpered.

Two fingers were quick to run through those golden spikes, trace his rounded tan horns, and rub his ears gently and soothingly. It was just enough for Cloud to squeak and purr, pushing his head further into the warm touch his handler provided. But the sweet moment was over when Zack heard his dragon start to gag. His whole body was lurching with the motions and he could hear choked noises coming from the back of his throat. The teen was quick to peel the fledgling away from his chest, set him on the bed, and look over him frantically.

His white and red-arched ears were pressed against the sides of his small face and his tail was tucked in between his legs. When the noises got louder and the rocking motions of his body became more rigid and stiff, he started to freak out.

"Wh-Why are you gagging? Are you sick? Wait, how can you be sick, you just hatched four hours ago! Are you hungry? Hold on, you wouldn't be gagging if you were hungry. Did I do something? Oh god, what did I do!? What _do_ I do?!" Zack cried, his hands quickly embedding themselves in his hair as he could only watch the dragon gag and cough. Then realization dawned on him and he pointed to the hacking hatchling. _"Are you throwing up egg shards!? I knew you shouldn't have eaten those! I let my dragon poison himself! What have I done!?"_ He shrieked.

He thought about maybe patting Cloud's back to help him get up whatever he was gagging on, but he didn't know if he could do that without hurting the tiny baby. His hands just approached the dragon hesitantly, then pulled away swiftly, his whole bodily motions awkward and unsure. A sweat began to break out over the back of his neck and under his arms as he continued to frantically panic. He eventually decided on using his index finger to gently stroke the little one's clothed back.

Cloud eventually threw up whatever was causing him to gag, spit dripping out of his mouth as the thing rolled out next. The hatchling stopped gagging and went back to normal right after he spit up, his tail swishing calmly and his ears resting naturally at the sides of his head. Zack's jaw was hung open, his hands gesturing to nothing. How could he be perfectly fine after all that gagging and coughing? The small object the babe had spit up rolled from underneath his body and towards the tamer, whom looked at it in disgust for a moment before noticing the sheen to it.

Zack cautiously picked up the small object, wiping the spit off on his shirt with a small face of revulsion and a gag of his own. But when he cleaned it off and held it up near his eyes, he discovered his dragon had up-chucked a bright ivory white and gold speckled pearl. He recalled that the dragon book said that some breeds could ingest their egg shells, then throw up a shining pearl a few hours later. So he had a pearl-spitter?

"Zack? Are you alright?" Angeal called from the stairs, growing curious when he heard his nephew start screaming in alarm.

"Yup. Fine. Cloud just threw up a pearl is all." Zack responded in a broken nonchalant tone, twisting the small jewel clenched in his index finger and thumb.

 _"_ _A pearl?"_ Angeal gawked.

"Yup. Cloud's a breed of dragon that can eat his egg shells and vomit a pearl." Zack called back, clearing the shock out of his throat as he tried to calm down.

His dragon was fine now, no need to stay alarmed or spooked. But he still couldn't wipe the sweat out of his system completely. He glanced toward the small dragon, just to make sure he really was okay. The fledgling was standing on his tip-toes and already back to gnawing on the toy chocobo's beak again, his white and red-lined tail swishing happily as he chewed on the soft material.

"Well, alright then. I'll leave you to it." Angeal spoke, his tone completely astonished before he pulled away from the staircase to finish what he was doing before.

Zack glanced back to the pearl again, looking over every curve of the small jewel. Pearls could go for a high price on the market if he were to sell it. But then again, he really didn't want to. When he realized he didn't hear Cloud chewing on his toy, he glanced down to find the humanoid hatchling staring up at him with big cerulean eyes. He glanced to the pearl and back to his handler, mewling quietly, like he was asking if he liked the thing he spit up and let him have. His sweater-covered hands were pressed together in front of his chest and his ears were lowered, tucking behind his puffy golden hair.

"Do you want me to keep this, Cloud?" Zack inquired gently.

Cloud squeaked excitedly and threw his shirt-swallowed arms up into the air, falling over on his back as his tail quickly tucked itself in between his legs to prevent him from laying on it.

"Alright then, I guess I have to, with you being so happy about it and all." The teen mused.

He reached over and ran two fingers through those puffy spikes, the little dragon purring and squeaking happily as tiny hands patted at his broad arm, as if trying to pet him as well. He took his hand and gently used his index finger to scratch under the fledgling's chin. Cloud was giggling and squirming, his tail flicking about delightfully as his floppy ears perked up, displaying the inner pink below. This only made Zack smile brightly as he continued to love on his hatchling.

He glanced to back to the cloudy-colored pearl. He could always take it to a jeweler and have them make it into a necklace for him to wear, or even an earring. That way he could always keep it on him and let his dragon know how much he liked it. He'd have to do that later though, once his dragon got used to their daily lives inside the home and blacksmith shop.

So for safe keeping, he placed the jewel against his candle holder for the time being. He'd find a better spot for it later. But the tender mood in the room died away when Cloud suddenly changed from happy and squealing to upset and whining. Zack glanced down at him. He was still giving him affection, but the little one was frowning with big, watery eyes. Little hands slapped at his arm, as if trying to tell him something he couldn't spit out as easily as the pearl.

He really wished that telepathic communication was an immediate thing, but it took a decent amount of time to learn. The dragon and the handler had to learn how to sense the other's presence before that connection could be established. Once they could learn how to find them no matter where they were, then they would finally be connected, mind to mind.

"What's wrong, Cloud?" Zack inquired, taking his finger from under his chin and stroking his ears with it instead.

The hatchling just whined a little louder, slapping his arm a little harder as his tail flicked in distress. The handler knew it was a guessing game by that point.

"Are you sleepy?" He tried.

A louder whine informed him he was wrong, and the slapping was starting to sting and leave behind little pink marks across his tanned skin. Was he just being cranky over something? He didn't know what the little one needed, he couldn't read his mind! _Yet_. However, Cloud maneuvered his head and latched his mouth over his index finger, sucking on it gently.

"Oh, you're hungry!" Zack realized, finally putting two and two together. He hadn't eaten a thing since he hatched this afternoon!

He gently pulled his finger from the fledgling's mouth and stood up from the bed, shuffling over to the bookcase where he kept the dragon supplies he bought from Cid's shop. He took one of the jars full of the apparent formula and brought it back over where the small dragon was now waiting patiently.

He reclaimed his seat on the foot of the bed and started to twist the lid off the jar with a bit of force and slight strain on his face. Cloud was now sitting up, mewling and squeaking quickly as he watched his master unscrew the lid from the jar. He was up on his leg, stretching up and trying to reach the container before it could be set before him, his sweater-covered arm reaching up with a few squeaky grunts.

"Be patient, Cloud." Zack gently chided, still trying to get a decent grip on the lid.

The hatchling was swiping at the bottom of the class container, continuing to squeak and mewl wildly, wanting to eat already. His master gave him a stern look, but he just shrilled with a pout on his face and persistently tried to reach for it. He let out a loud and pouty squeak before deciding to change up his strategy. He hunkered down, his tail flicking at the tip hastily, and then tried to lunge at it. But he ended up losing his balance mid lunge and toppled into the teen's lap with a surprised squeal.

Zack couldn't stay mad at the little dragon after hearing and seeing that. He glanced down to see the fledgling looking around with shock on his face, as if self-conscious about people seeing him trip like that. As soon as the lid popped off the jar, Cloud's head snapped up and he squeaked politely. The teen gently lowered the jar of liquid, watching as the babe started to squirm in excitement. Before it was even lowered in front of his face, he reached up, curled his fingers around the rim, and started to lap at it with his slightly forked tongue eagerly.

"Woah, not so fast, Cloud. You're spilling it!" Zack informed as he placed the jar right underneath the dragon's face, the rest of his body going down with it.

However, the hungry fledgling didn't care and was swiftly and sloppily lapping up all he could, spilling some of the liquid on himself and his master. Even his tail was flicking in some kind of disordered fashion. When he tried to lap up too much at once, he slipped and his face fell right into the liquid. His master was quick to lift him out of the jar with a sharp gasp. He came up sputtering, squeaking, and coughing while his face, hair, and even the tips of his droopy ears were dripping with the substance.

"I _told_ you not so fast!" Zack warned as he used his shirt sleeve to wipe off the baby dragon's face.

Cloud mewed at him apologetically when the sleeve was removed from his face. He dipped his head over the rim and proceeded to lap up the nourishment much slower, even if he was still really hungry and wanted to simply devour it. However, for his patience, he was rewarded with a few strokes down his clothed back from his handler, which made him smile as he ate. His tail swished happily from side to side as a small pink blush bloomed across his marked cheeks.

He didn't stop eating until the jar was licked completely clean. Even when there was nothing left, Cloud continued to lap at the glass, his tongue pressing against the bottom of the jar and pooling out. He whined when Zack pulled the empty container away from him, his floppy ears flattening even more so as he reached out for it.

"There isn't any more, you drank it all, Cloud." Zack informed as he placed the empty jar on his end table.

The baby dragon squealed in disagreement, a frown pulling at his face and tugging his puffy eyebrows down. His red marks on his forehead and under his eyes flushed a deeper garnet color when a pink blush radiated from his cheeks in his discord. To wipe the pout from the hatchling's face, the handler massaged those floppy white ears affectionately. A smile wiggled onto his face instead and he purred into the touch, his blush from discontent changing to one of joy and adoration.

With a quick glance to the window, Zack could tell it was starting to get late. Evenings never lasted long and soon dusk was upon them, dusting the world with a gentle purple and blue glow, any gold barely left in the sky by this point. He'd have to light his candle again to provide some light to his darkening bedroom. He was careful about removing Cloud from his lap before he leaned over to light the small waxed candle. A gentle flame flourished brightly and provided an adequate source of light for the bedroom, casting shadows off far away things like his bookcase and desk.

The baby dragon glanced around from the change in lighting, one ear perked up higher than the other as he observed his surroundings while Zack relaxed against his bed once more. His eyes narrowed in concentration near a darker corner of the room, his head tilted to the right as he tried to make out the shape hiding in the shadows. When it flickered swiftly, Cloud let out a frightened squeal and scurried next to his master, butting his head against his leg and curling his tail in between his own.

"Woah! What's got you spooked?" Zack inquired as he glanced over to where his fledgling had looked last. Although, he smirked and chuckled quietly when he realized what startled his little dragon. "Cloud, it's just the bookcase." He assured.

Cloud pulled his head away from his handler's leg slowly, cautious eyes narrowing at the dark corner of the room again. When he squinted a little harder, he was able to made out the shape of the tall piece of furniture camouflaged in the darkness. He squeaked in recognition and pulled his tail out from between his legs, wrapping it around his right one in a sheepish fashion.

There was a tentative knock against his open bedroom door, causing Zack to glance behind him and see who was there, while Cloud squeaked and hid his face in his master's leg again. Angeal stood there, hand on the doorknob and leaning in gently with a soft smile on his face.

"Head to bed soon, alright, Zack? I know it's Friday and you usually stay up later, but trust me, you'll need sleep tonight." Angeal recommended.

"Why would I be sleeping any differently than usual?" Zack queried, a confused look on his tanned face.

The older man just glanced to Cloud with an all-knowing smile on his face before responding with, "You'll see. Goodnight." He bade, cracking the bedroom door behind him.

"Goodnight?" Zack returned in an unsure tone. He wasn't sure what his uncle was getting at, so he just shrugged it off with a gentle hum. "Well, I guess I can't argue with him, you could probably use some decent sleep tonight." He added as he glanced down to his dragon.

Cloud looked up at him and gave him a confused squeak, his head tilting to the right as his droopy ears perked slightly. Zack wrapped his hands around the small dragon's body, lifting him up and cradling him close to his chest. The hatchling purred softly and squeaked, his face pressing into his handler's shirt to listen to the steady beat of his heart through the skin and the fabric. However, he stopped purring and squealed curiously as he was placed in the hay-stuffed drawer of the end table beside the bed. He looked up at the young teen with sparkling doe-like eyes.

"This is your bed, where you go to sleep for the night." Zack explained for the curious babe.

Cloud glanced down and all around at the cushy straw and hay supporting his form, patting at the quilt atop all of that with a sleeve-covered hand. He frowned at it when he understood what his master was getting at. He glanced up to him with a hurt squeak and eyes that looked just as wounded. His ears tucked behind his golden locks as he started to pout and reach for the young teenager with groping hands.

"Nice try, but you need to go to sleep, it's late." Zack smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

Cloud whined at him, waving his arms around frantically as if that would get his handler to pick him up. When those arms remained crossed over his chest, he whined a little louder as his eyes watered with future tears.

"Nope. It's bedtime." Zack finalized, keeping those arms locked over his chest.

Cloud flopped over on his back dramatically and started to bawl. His little tail curled in between his legs and his ears practically disappeared into his puffy golden hair. The young handler felt a wave of rejection and hurt seep through his core like an uncomfortable heat in the summertime. His face frowned from the feeling, but he kept his arms crossed sternly. He couldn't coddle his dragon for trying to escape the horrors of bedtime. He had to show him that when it was time to go to sleep, it was time to do just that!

But the longer the fledgling continued to cry and whine pitifully, the harder it got to stick to that thought. Not to mention the guilt and the distress echoing in his core from his dragon's emotions weren't helping his wavering conviction. Eventually, he caved in with a dramatic groan and he picked the tantrum throwing hatchling up.

Cloud immediately stopped crying and squeaked in place of the fit. His tail was now happily swishing back and forth and his ears went back to hanging by the sides of his face normally again.

"This is just for a moment, then you're going right back in there, got it?" Zack informed, his tone as stern as he could muster –which was barely stern at all.

The little dragon just squeaked and smiled, happy he had gotten his way and was now back in the comforting arms of his handler again. The tiny fledgling snuggled his head back into the young teen's chest, completely content with the sound his heart provided. His little hands curled up to his face, the bottom half of it hiding under the sweater sleeves as his tail curled around his master's wrist, much like a loose fitting bracelet or wristband.

After a few moments like that, Cloud was deposited back into the hay-stuffed drawer. Surprisingly, the little one did not whine or complain when he was placed there. Instead, he just stared at Zack while the quilt was pulled over his tiny body and tucked snuggly around it.

"See? That wasn't so bad, huh?" Zack mused as he ran two fingers through the dragon's fluffy golden hair.

Cloud purred softly, eyes closing as he enjoyed the display of affection. He tipped his head back with a little squeak, wanting his master to scratch under his chin like he did earlier. The teen smirked and used his index finger to adhere to the silent cue, rubbing under the little dragon's soft chin. The hatchling purred louder and his right leg started to twitch, as if the limb was trying to itch what his handler was scratching. Zack laughed quietly at the cute display and rubbed a little harder, amusement present as the faster and harder he scratched at the spot, the faster the babe's leg would beat the air.

When he was satisfied, he pulled his hand away gently. Cloud squeaked happily, his droopy ears perking as he wanted those to be massaged too.

"Really?" Zack laughed, obeying the request anyways.

He rubbed those soft, furry ears gently, watching with a smile as the hatchling's eyes closed and enjoyed each little circle rubbed into his ears. Zack kneaded the appendages with his fingers, going to far as to work on the undersides where all his pink was visible. The little one enjoyed it so much that the handler was able to push those droopy ears against the horns on the top of his head and continue to work them.

He laughed when the dragon looked rather silly with his floppy ears pushed all the way up to the top of his head. He looked like a deformed rabbit with the way those protrusions stretched up, then flopped over his pressing fingers. He only pulled his hand away when his fingers started to ache.

Cloud was quick to kick the quilt off his body and roll over to lay on his stomach, head glancing behind him as he squeaked, wanting his back to be stroked too.

"Okay, okay, fine! But this is the _last_ thing I'm doing!" Zack pressed as he stroked two fingers down the dragon's clothed back.

The fledgling was all purrs and squeaks after that, his tail swishing from side to side happily, his back arching and bending with the motions of his master's fingers over it. He even arched his rear like a cat when the young teen scratched his lower back, right above his flicking tail. He pulled his fingers away from the babe's back, reaching in to turn him over and tuck his tiny form in again. Cloud's eyes were bright and glistening in the dim candlelight of the bedroom, watching as his master smiled at him genuinely.

Zack remembered to grab the chocobo toy he made and place it into the drawer with the tiny dragon, making sure he had a companion for the night. He then pulled back the quilt to his own bed, nestling himself into the material comfortably. When he was tucked in and comfortable, he leaned over to blow the flame on the candle out, pausing when he glanced down at his curious hatchling, whom was cuddling with the jingly toy.

"Goodnight, Cloud." He acknowledged with a smile before he blew the flame out.

The room was washed in a comforting darkness as the young teen relaxed against his pillow, laying on his right side to glance out the window for a moment. The moonlight filtered in gently through the glass, casting light moonbeams against the wooden floor. Crickets could be heard chirping and singing from outside, a stray hoot of an owl echoing through here and there. The night was always calming and relaxing, serene and peaceful.

Zack smiled to himself when he heard Cloud squeaking softly and shifting about in the hay-stuffed drawer. He closed his eyes with a deep sigh, feeling a wave of drowsiness fall over him like a blanket. As soon as he started to drift off, a scraping noise brought him right out of the trance. His eyelids shot open, sapphire eyes glancing all around him as he continued to lay on his side. The noise had vanished as quick as it came. He shrugged and closed his eyes again, adjusting the blanket over his frame.

Once again, he felt that tired feeling settle behind his eyes and he allowed it to drag him down into slumber. He was just starting to dream when a louder scraping noise jolted him right out of the lulling daze. Eyes snapped open and he sat up this time, glaring all around him when the noise was gone. There was probably a rat or something scurrying about somewhere, they did get those from time to time. He glanced over his shoulder to look behind him, wondering if Cloud might have something to do with it. But his eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

Deciding it was only a mouse, Zack laid back down and closed his eyes sighing heavily into his feather-down bed. He closed his eyes and relaxed again, telling himself not to let those scratching noises bother him so bad. But before he even had time to drift off this go round, the scraping noises started back up. The young teen ignored them at first, keeping the thought of a rat in the wall in his head. But those sounds continued on the longer he ignored them. Wait, were they getting _louder?_

Zack shot up into a sitting position violently, the sound stopping immediately as he did so. He glanced around his room with narrowed eyes, having to shoot those eyes towards his baby dragon. Cloud was still –well, _still_. He snorted through his nose and threw himself back down against his bed, adjusting the quilt over his shoulders and huffing out gently after. As soon as he closed his eyes, he heard the scraping again. This time, he kept his eyes closed to see if he could pinpoint where the sound was coming from.

Gaia damnit, it was coming from his end table drawer.

He turned over on his left side to face the drawer, his eyes open and squinted. The noises were quick to stop once more as if they never started up in the first place. The lump under the quilt assured him that the dragon was laying there quietly. However, he was starting to believe that was all just some clever ruse. So he shut his eyes and sighed experimentally, deciding to see if it was his dragon making the noise. He cracked one eye open and kept the other closed, in order to see without being spotted. The eye closest to his pillow, which was his left, caught the little one in the act this time.

Cloud had stuck his head out from his blanket and started rubbing his horns against the drawer, causing the annoying scraping sound.

 _"_ _Ah-HA!"_ Zack cried, sitting up and pointing at the baby dragon.

The hatchling was quick to squeak and duck his head under the quilt, as if to feign sleep.

"You can't fool me, Cloud! I _saw_ you making that noise!" Zack stated as he leaned over and peeled the blanket away from the tiny babe.

Cloud glanced up at him with innocent and wide eyes that glistened in the moonlight. He mewled in a guiltless manner as he pointed to himself and shook his head, silently stating that it wasn't him who made that noise. The young teen quickly puffed up the hay around the drawer, covering the wood with the puffy straw and taking the unused corners of the quilt to toss over that. The fledgling frowned and tried to scratch the drawer with his horns, disappointed when it didn't make any noise.

"Go to sleep, Cloud." Zack told him before he turned over and flopped back on his other side.

It was silent then. A tired and small smile stretched across Zack's face as he sighed in delight. Now he could finally get some rest. He closed his eyes after a small yawn pressed out of his mouth. However, a new set of noises started echoing in his ears. He sat up with a growl and glanced over to the drawer with an annoyed snort. Cloud was making tittering noises and squeaking while he slapped at the hay under his body with his white tail. When he glanced up to see his master looking at him, he giggled and gave him a big grin before slapping his tail against the drawer, surprised when it was able to making a thumping noise.

He slowly glanced over to his handler with a devious glint in his eyes.

"Don't you freaking do it." Zack warned, pointing at him.

But Cloud let out a loud and determined squeal as he began to thump his tail against the soft wall of the drawer over and over again. The young teen quickly reached over and gripped the golden tuft of fur on the tip of his tail before it could smack against the drawer again.

"If you don't stop, I will rip your tail off."

He let the limb go with a bit of a huff, the baby dragon quickly scooping his tail up in his arms with a watery squeak. To appease the little one, he gently ran a finger through his hair to let him know he wasn't being serious. He then lifted the dragon up and set him on top of the chocobo toy that was a tad too big for him. He couldn't play with the hay or beat his tail against the drawer like that. With that, he quickly turned on his side with a dramatic flop.

"Now, sleep. I _mean_ it." Zack snorted.

He kept his eyes opened for a few moments, just making sure Cloud wouldn't start anything else. He nodded sharply against his pillow when he confirmed his baby dragon would _finally_ be quiet and settle down. He snuggled into his bed and sighed, letting the agitation slip right out of him in an exhale as tranquility filled him with an inhale. He closed his eyes and did one last long inhale and exhale, his body completely relaxed.

He slipped off rather quickly, but was unable to stay like that. From under the very light trance of slumber, he started to hear jingling and little growls. Zack came to with a hiccupped groan, his hands running down his face as he felt like crying from the irritation. He turned over to his left with a bland and tired look on his face as he silently watched Cloud gnawing and sucking on the toy's beak while pressing his hands and legs into the toy to make it jingle. When the dragon felt the presence of his handler glancing at him, he pulled away from the toy and smiled at him with a squeak.

Zack just flopped his face down into the covering of his bed before he muttered, "What did I do to make you hate me?" into the cotton bedding.

Then he pulled his face from the bed and tossed the quilt off his body, standing up from his bed in a slumped over fashion. He balled up his quilt in one hand and claimed his pillow with the other, the hatchling eyeing him curiously.

"That's it, I'm sleeping on the couch." Zack yawned as he started to shuffle away from his bed.

Cloud was in hysterics then, whining and squealing and scurrying around his drawer wildly. The raven-haired teen paused as he reached his bedroom door, glancing over when his dragon was causing a ruckus. The humanoid blond was whining and whimpering, his arms stretched out over the drawer and his chest leaning into it. His ears were flattened against the sides of his face and his tail was flicking wildly behind him.

"What do you want from me?" Zack whined, before rambling on with, "You won't let me sleep, you freak out if I try and leave. Do you want me around or not?"

Thick tears dripped out of Cloud's eyes as he reached for his handler desperately, feeling bad for making his master upset because he wasn't tired yet. The teen groaned before he shuffled back over to his bed, tossing the pillow and quilt against it before setting down himself. He reached out to the drawer and curled his hands around the small dragon, pulling him against his lap drowsily.

The small fledgling was quick to reach up on his tip-toes and try to curl his small arms around his handler's stomach, not even making it to his sides. A hand was curled under his rear as he was boosted up to be placed against his master's shoulder. He crawled to the base of his neck and rubbed his face against the young teen's, purring affectionately and apologetically.

Two fingers gently ran through his hair as a tired hum echoed from Zack's mouth. He then took the baby dragon from his shoulder and deposited him carefully into the drawer again.

"Is it okay if I finally go to sleep now?" Zack yawned as he flopped against his bed ungracefully, not even taking the time to adjust his pillow or pull his quilt over his body.

Cloud was back to squeaking and purring happily, having succeeded in making his master come back. The young teen just closed his eyes with a groan and attempted to fall asleep. This time he thought he'd be able to sleep for sure, he thought he'd get far enough to actually fall into a deep sleep and dream. But those thoughts were both interrupted and shattered to bits whenever the hatchling started to whine and cry for attention.

Zack stopped fighting it by that point. Without even opening his eyes, he reached over and felt around in the drawer until his fingers came in contact with his dragon. He curved his wrist and curled his fingers around his dragon's tiny waist, lifting him out of the drawer and placing him on his chest instead. Cloud stopped crying instantly and crawled across the fabric and nestled himself on the base of his master's neck, just below his chin. He purred softly, finally falling still for the night.

The clock from downstairs chimed out the hour of one in the morning. The young teen could only exhale and hope he'd be able to sleep in tomorrow. He closed his eyes and drifted off soon after. The two fell asleep like that, no more interruptions through the rest of the night.

At least, not for the next two hours until Cloud woke up hungry and cried.

* * *

A/N:Hey everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it took so long to get out and about with, but I've been going through some very hard times lately.  
First off (This doesn't count as the hard time but it has been pretty distracting lol!) I ended up getting into a game called Undertale and gosh is it a blast! Secondly, I got an art tablet too! So I've been drawing so much lately that it's cut into my writing time! So those are some good things I've been doing lately.

Of course, then there's reallywhy I've been inactive for awhile now; My health. (If you read this on Ao3, you know exactly what I'm talking about, but for those who don't know, here's the thing):

Namely, I have been rather ill lately, more than I have ever been. Last week I was diagnosed with Gilbert's Syndrome, which is honestly a rather harmless liver condition that deals with processing the chemical compound of bilirubin. My liver doesn't process that right so there's always a little yellow tint in my eyes. It _(Apparently)_ doesn't cause any symptoms, but it left unchecked it might spell out problems for me in the future.  
(Which I've read up on it and I've read ho many other people deal with a vast majority of side effects, all because of one little liver thing. Stomach problems, brain problems, symptoms that appear like depression or anxiety,all that jazz. I'm also thinking that might lead to my stomach problems, listed below)

Secondly, I haven't been doing well in the stomach department either. I still have no idea what's wrong, but I haven't been able to eat normally. When I eat, I get constant stomach pain and nausea. If I don't get that, it's constant gas (Pretty disgusting, I know lol) So I'm on medication to minimize the amount of acid my stomach produces, which worked perfectly for the first week. But lately my pains have been coming back even with the medication. If this keeps up, my doctor informed me I'll have to see a specialist. (Which it looks like that's going to be my best and only option)

On top of all that, I've been extremely stressed and overworked, and my depression has been much more active as of late. (I've had the depresses since I was seven) I can never seem to get enough sleep, I'm always saving what energy I do have for work, and life has just been getting really ridiculous right now haha! So everything's just been kinda thrown at me at once and I just don't really have time for my hobbies anymore which really upsets me.

So that's been what's on the haps lately. I normally don't like to share my real life problems because that's not what you guys come here to read about, but I figured you guys deserved an explanation at the very least. SO, thanks for being so patient with me!

The next chapter will be coming hopefully soon! I'll do my best to get it out when I can! :) Thank you all again!  
~Zimithrus1


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7  
** (Word count: 14,000. Just thought I'd let you guys know now!)

* * *

"Zack! Zack, get up! Breakfast is ready!" The voice of Angeal called from downstairs.

Zack's eyelids felt like they had been glued together, for trying to open them was nearly impossible. He groaned as if his muscles ached and he yawned as if he hadn't slept in years. He had to rub at his eyelids furiously until the immense drowsiness left, leaving him with blurry sights first thing in the morning. When his sight cleared, he glanced over to his left. Panic jolted through his body when he saw that Cloud was not in his drawer. He bolted upright from his bed, actually taking the time to look down only when he heard a squeak and a plop. When he glanced to his lap, there was his hatchling: face down, flat on his stomach, with his rear up in the air.

Memory then caught up to the young dragon handler, informing him that he pulled the fledgling from the drawer and let him sleep curled up to his chest the night before. Cloud lifted his face from his master's blanketed lap with a drawled whine, hiccupping softly from the surprise and the startling awakening.

"Oh, Cloud! I am so, so sorry! I forgot you were there!" Zack appeased as he quickly wrapped his dragon into his arms and pulled him back to his chest.

When his hatchling started to cry, an immense wave of guilt and shame crashed over him. Tears cascaded down watery cerulean eyes as the fledgling's ears were tucked firmly against his face and his tail was curled in between his legs as well. It nearly broke his big, bleeding heart when Cloud tried to push away from him at one point, upset that he had been tossed off and wounded by the one that was supposed to protect him.

"I didn't mean to toss you off like that, honest! I forgot I took you out of your drawer, I promise I did!" Zack pleaded, trying to nuzzle his dragon with his cheek.

At first the small babe rejected the affection, trying to move his face away and continue crying over the fact he felt wounded. But eventually after some consistent pleading and reassurance, Cloud slowly accepted the apologies and ended up being all squealy and giggly within a matter of seconds.

"Zack? Are you alright up there? Do I need to send a search and rescue party?" Angeal called from downstairs, his voice very close to the staircase.

Zack was quick to softly pinch Cloud's ears to his face before he called back with, "I'll be down in a minute!" He removed his fingers from the fluffy ears when his voice was no longer loud.

"Alright, well it's waiting on you!" Angeal returned.

The hatchling squeaked softly at his master, gently pawing at his hand with a sleeve-covered one of his own to get his attention. The young teen glanced down to see what the fledgling bundled up in his arms needed, only having the answer spelled out for him when the little dragon shifted in his grip to lean over to lick his finger before glancing up at him with an informed squeak.

"So you're hungry too? Well, we can eat together downstairs, that sound good?" Zack suggested.

Cloud peeped at him with a big smile, agreeing in his own squeaky language. The teen carefully rose from the bed, groaning softly when his muscles ached from the tossing and turning, not to mention the lack of sleep due to the little ornery beast in his arms. He wandered over to his bookcase and grabbed a new jar of the formula for his dragon with his free hand, cradling his hatchling with the other.

While Zack left his bedroom and walked down the stairs, Cloud was trying to get the jar of liquid from his handler's other hand with a few grunty squeaks, reaching out for it when his hand would sway as he walked. He even tried to use his tail to slap at the jar, the effort futile as it was unable to reach. The young teen was just smiling and humming in amusement at the sight. He cut through the living room and entered the kitchen where he saw his uncle and his humanoid dragon eating at the table.

"So what's on the menu this morning?" Zack asked as he sat himself down at the table.

Cloud was quick to squeak, scurry up his handler's arm, and hide behind a few locks of stray black hair while perched on his right shoulder, his long tail curling around his little leg as his ears flattened. Even though it was only his face that was hidden, he still thought he couldn't be seen if he couldn't see them.

"Nothing fancy, just porridge and fruit." Angeal responded as he smirked at the baby dragon's behavior.

"Yum." Zack responded with a roll of his eyes, never liking porridge but eating it regardless.

"Sleep good?" Angeal commented with a sly smile.

" _Totally_. How'd you guess?" Zack sarcastically quipped.

"The lovely dark circles under your eyes was a telltale sign."

"You can thank Cloud for those."

Zack unscrewed the lid off the jar of formula, the pop noise that followed made Cloud's droopy ears perk and hone in on the sound. He cautiously pulled his head out of the black-haired veil and sniffed the air delicately. The jar was set next to his own bowl of food, as if to entice the little one to climb down and eat with the rest of the family. He was tentative as he slowly scaled down his master's arm, glancing towards the other man and the dragon in human form. They seemed nice enough, but he was still wary. He didn't know them like he knew his handler.

Angeal gave him a comforting smile as he turned back to his own food, giving the baby dragon his space. Genesis just huffed gently through his nose before going back to eating his own food. Cloud then approached the jar, his hands resting on the rim of it and he dipped his head in and began to lap at the liquid. Zack smiled as two fingers stroked the babe's clothed back, the little dragon pulling back from the glass container to give him a happy squeak before going back to eating, well, more like drinking, his own meal.

The young teen scratched the hatchling's lower back, smirking as his little rear rose to the air as he continued to lap up his breakfast. He continued to love on his dragon with one hand and picked up his spoon to eat his own food with his other. Porridge was like gruel and the texture was almost gross to swallow, so Zack made quick work of choking it down as fast as he could.

"Hmm…I don't much feel like raw meat this morning." Genesis commented, frowning at his plate.

"Well cook it if you want, just don't melt my plate." Angeal advised, pointing his wooden spoon at the humanoid Kazilik.

The brunette shrugged before breathing a small stream of blazing hot fire to the meat before him. The noise caused Cloud to glance up from his jar of formula curiously, but the sight and the heat from the fire had him spooked. The baby dragon started squeaking as he quickly backed away from the intense inferno, knocking over his sustenance in the process and spilling it all over the table, which had the two humans glance over with a jolt. As he continued to squeal and back up, his legs slipped from underneath him, sending him off the edge of the table.

With lightning fast reflexes and a horrified expression, Zack all but threw his spoon down and dove for the tiny dragon. He leaned over to catch the squealing babe, hands quickly grabbing a hold of his dragon's as he leaned over so much he fell out of his chair and onto the floor with a surprised yelp. His heart was beating in double time, pounding in his chest like a war drum. He slowly glanced down with wide eyes, revealing the frightened baby dragon in his grasp. Cloud was trembling and shaking, his cerulean eyes billowing with frightened tears.

He burst out in hiccups and wails, swiftly scurrying closer to his master. He curled up on his collarbone and hid his face under Zack's chin, the teenager hushing the frightened hatchling and petting his floppy ears lovingly. He groaned when he heard the formula drip off the table and splash against the floor right next to his head.

"Genesis, was there really a need for that much flair?!" Angeal scolded, leaning over and flicking the humanoid Kazilik's forehead.

"I didn't know it was going to scare him, it's not my fault he freaked out like that!" Genesis argued, right hand covering the flicked spot on his head.

" _And_ you burnt my plate too! That's it, no more fire-grilling at the kitchen table!" Angeal huffed as he gestured to the burnt plate.

"Oh _come on_! I didn't even singe it that bad!" The Kazilik huffed, gesturing to it as well.

"It's freaking _black_ for crying out loud!" The older man pointed out.

By this time, Zack had sat up and was now cradling Cloud gently, bouncing him in his arms while his uncle and respective dragon started an argument. Good thing he already finished his own breakfast or there'd be an even bigger mess to clean up. He strolled over to the kitchen basin, grabbing a dry towel from the left of it and walking back over to the table, cleaning up the spilled formula and trying to pacify his fledgling at the same time while Angeal started making a list of the things Genesis couldn't do at the table anymore.

"I can't even roast my own kebabs anymore!?" Genesis howled, completely astonished.

" _No_! Not after this _disaster_!" Angeal finalized. "The only times you get to use fire in the house is if you're lighting the fireplace or helping me cook!"

"This is fucking stupid."

 _"_ _What did I tell you about bad language?"_

Zack rolled his eyes as he wiped up the last traces of liquid from the table and the floor. Cloud was covering his floppy ears and continuing to cry, despite his handler's efforts to soothe him. He tossed the rag over to the basin again before peeled away from the kitchen. He paused by the doorframe to glance over his shoulder.

"You guys are a _big_ freaking help." He chided sarcastically before he stalked out of the kitchen.

That only got them to pause their arguing for a moment before Genesis made some smartass comment that had them both bickering again. Since his dragon didn't hardly get to eat, he was going to have to crack open another jar of formula. He couldn't fully calm the frightened hatchling down until he was away from the bickering his uncle and dragon were causing. So he scurried up the stairs and into his room, shutting the door behind him to block out the noises.

At the lack of yelling and surplus of gentle silence, Cloud pried his once closed eyes open and sniffed, tears still dripping from his eyes as he cried quietly. Zack guided them over to his bed and he sat down against the foot of it, tenderly cradling the small fledgling a little tighter in his arms. He pulled one away to softly caress the baby's floppy ears with his fingers, rubbing them in a soothing and reassuring manner.

Cloud purred softly, his watery cerulean eyes glancing up at his handler in adoration. Zack smiled as he moved his fingers from those ears and to a new spot this time. He gently relaxed his hand against the baby dragon's clothed tummy and started to rub it affectionately. The hatchling happily squeaked at the fondness in the contact, his purring much louder and unrestrained than before. His right leg started to kick when his handler massaged just the right spot on his belly, his little squeaks slipping into happy coos.

"Alright, let's get you a new batch of breakfast." Zack announced.

He rose from his bed and gently laying the dragon babe onto it. Cloud squeaked at him in confusion and frowned, wondering why he was being put down. The young handler retrieved the sloppily made chocobo plush from the drawer and jingled it above the hatchling's head. That frown vanished instantly as he reached for the singing toy. He placed it next to the little dragon with an added pat before he spun away to grab a new jar. Honestly, his arm was starting to ache from being in that bent position for so long and he needed a quick break.

He grabbed a hold of another glass container and pulled it down from the shelf, spinning on his heel as he rounded back to his bed. A brighter smile pulled at the corners of his lips as he saw Cloud playing and gnawing on the chocobo again, going for the beady eyes this time. Zack sat back down on his bed and smiled brighter at the sight from close up. The baby dragon had his whole body wrapped around the toy that was a bit too big for him, little arms clutching the wings and legs wrapped around its puffy body.

"Hey, silly. You ready to finish your breakfast?" He asked with a gentle laugh.

Cloud peeled away from the toy with a little growl, effectively ripping one of the chocobo's beady eyes out as he glanced up at his handler with a muffled squeak. Zack reached over and stuck his index finger in the humanoid dragon's mouth, popping the black beady eye out of his mouth and into his hand.

"As if I needed a reminder of my sowing skills being unsatisfactory." Zack nonchalantly sighed, observing the damage done to the toy he had made.

There were still loose strings of thread sticking out from where the eye once was, the yellow material underneath completely spared. That might change when the hatchling's teeth started coming in. For the time being, he set the torn off eye on his end table, right next to the pearl Cloud had spit up yesterday. He still needed to get that thing forged into a necklace or earring, the dragon seemed really proud of it after all. When he glanced back to the small babe, he was glancing at the jar of nourishment in Zack's other hand.

He quickly untwisted the lid from the container and set it down in front of the tiny hatchling, whom was quick to sit up and dunk his head in to lap up some of the delicious drink. While he was busy eating, the teen could make a quick patch job to the toy chocobo. If he remembered correctly, the needle and thread still remained in the upstairs hall closet.

He stood up from his bed and walked over to his door, pausing to see if Cloud had taken notice. The fledgling was still lapping away at his breakfast, completely absorbed with the task of eating all he could. Zack nodded before swiftly leaving his room and walking down the hall, passing Angeal's room to get to the closet. He popped open the creaky door and searched around inside.

The noise must have carried through the hall, because he heard Cloud squeak in response. When he realized his master was no longer in the bedroom, he started to squeal with a broken voice, calling out for him and wondering where he had disappeared to. The dragon handler rummaged through the closet before coming across a needle and a spool of thread. He retrieved the items and left the door cracked, scurrying back to his own room.

When he popped back in, Cloud was glancing towards the door with a sad and frightened look on his face, but it vanished when his master came walking back in. He did give him a curious squeak, however, as if asking him where he went.

"Just went to get a needle and thread so I could fix your buddy, I didn't go far." Zack assured as he shuffled across his bedroom floor and plopped down on his soft bed.

The answer seemed good enough to the fledgling, whom quickly went back to lapping at his breakfast, a quarter of the jar devoured already. The raven-haired teen reclaimed the damaged toy as well as the beady eye. He set the chocobo in his lap and quickly threaded the small needle with a faint squint of his eye. He knotted the end of the thread and eased it through the thick black bead. He then started his patchwork to fix the toy's eye, accidentally stabbing himself with the needle on the first stitch.

Zack shook his hand out with a gentle hiss, letting the air take away most of the sting. When the burn diminished, he went back to stitching the eye back onto the plush, the sounds of Cloud lapping up his breakfast serving as background noise or making a substitute for a metronome. Once his patch-job was complete, he knotted off the thread and bit off the remaining string. He gave a few testing tugs to the beady eye, nodding when it stayed firmly in place.

By the time the toy was fixed, Cloud finished off his breakfast. Zack could tell without looking due to the sound of his tongue squeaking against the bottom of the glass container. He took the empty container away from the baby dragon, and before he could whine about it, the newly-fixed chocobo was placed in front of him.

The little fledgling let out a happy squeal as he tackled the toy, knocking it over as his tiny frame crawled over it. His mouth latched onto the beak of the toy and he gnawed on it gently, soft chewing noises pooling from his mouth and into the fabric of the toy. The teen smirked and ran a finger over the hatchling's head, smoothing his puffy hair out as the little one let out a muffled squeak into the toy before going back to chewing on it.

The empty food jar was placed to the side, where the one from last night still sat. Zack didn't really know what to do with them, but it would be best to hold onto them rather than get rid of them. Maybe he could catch some fireflies in one of them? He used to catch those light-bugs all the time when he was young.

But now what was there to do? He had a day off, but had nowhere to go and spend it. An idea struck him in that moment; he hadn't been in the workshop since Cloud had hatched. He could show the little dragon where they'd be most of the week!

"Come here, Cloud. I wanna show you something." Zack stated, holding out his arm to the little dragon.

The hatchling glanced behind him and saw his handler's arm extending out towards him. He spun around with a little squeak and scurried to his hand, up his arm, to eventually perch himself on his master's right shoulder. Once he was secure, the young raven-haired teen stood up from his bed and left the room altogether. He bounded down the steps with an energetic smile on his face, Cloud squeaking in curiosity at where they were going. He cut across the living room and popped open the door that lead to the blacksmith shop.

He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The little –possible- Re Nuvole was glancing all around in awe and surprise, his cerulean eyes twinkling brightly. He glanced to Zack with a curious look on his face and he squeaked.

"This is the workshop. This is where we'll be most days, so I thought you should be familiar with it." Zack responded, trailing two fingers down the babe's clothed back.

Cloud purred affectionately before those fingers were pulled away and they started to move again, the young teen showing the dragon around the shop with expertise.

"This is Angeal's area, he makes all the blades on this anvil, and Genesis helps him too. Then over here is where we work on special project ideas." He explained, showing the little one the anvil and the furnace, before leading them over to the work desk cluttered in papers and markings.

Cloud squeaked informatively, already catching on and mapping out the surroundings. They maneuvered from the back and closer to the front, pausing by the table that contained all of the premade and ready for pick up blades and weapons. The way the sunlight filtered in through the open venue made the light flicker off the steel, casting a scintillating glow for the two currently standing before them.

The fledgling's eyes were alight, sparkling with his own kind of light. He crawled down Zack's shoulder with a few breathless sounding peeps, hopping off his wrist and onto the table that the blades reposed upon. His head tilted to the left and right when the shiny beam of light twinkled off the steel at just the right angles. The young dragon handler smiled as Cloud happily squeaked and batted at the shinys with wide blue eyes, his ears perked and his tail swishing in elation.

"So you like shiny objects, huh?" Zack inquired as he watched the baby dragon play with the light cast across the steel.

Cloud glanced back to him and gave him the most happiest and excited squeak he had ever heard the dragon make. His eyes were probably shining brighter than the sun against the steel. This made the young teen smile brighter than he ever had in his life, the action even reflecting in his eyes. The hatchling was quick to quietly squeak with curious eyes and climb back up his handler's arm, pausing to jump to his chest and cling to his shirt before glancing up at his face in avid inquisitiveness.

His small sleeve-covered hand then patted at his cheekbone, right below his eye and he squeaked softly again.

"What are you looking at? My eyes?" Zack asked with a laugh.

Although he had to stop laughing and blush faintly when Cloud squeaked and nodded his head with a big grin plastered on his face, his other hand going to pat his handler's other cheekbone and peep softly. Sapphire clashed gently with cerulean before mixing together gently as respective parties smiled fondly at the other.

"Aren't you sweet?" Zack cooed, gently scratching under the fledgling's soft chin.

The little dragon squeaked and purred loudly, his eyes closing as he leaned into the fingers rubbing under his chin. His ears perked up higher and higher the longer the action was performed, his tail flicking from side to side swiftly.

"Well, if you like shiny things so much, I think I've got a few more things to show you." The young handler stated, arms curling around his dragon's backside.

This was to keep him from slipping off the front of his shirt, even if those little claws were felt sunk through both the sweater's fabric and his own clothes too. He strolled to the outer area of their shop connected to the first floor, standing in his usual post outside and under the awning. This way, the little baby could take a peek outside while still being in a familiar atmosphere. Cloud winced and hid his eyes in his handler's shirt for a moment, the direct sunlight being very bright on his adapting eyes.

When the closed lids adjusted to the light, he slowly pulled his face away from his master's shirt and glanced behind him, outside. His squinted eyes widened tremendously, twinkling from the sunlight as his eyes took in all the sights. He caught sight of the shinys that other people wore on their clothes, the shinys from the other venues around the marketplace, and the shinys of the wares inside those places. He especially took note of the shinys across the street at the armor venue, watching the light bounce off the chainmail and steel. He quickly scrambled to get down from Zack's shirt and scurry to the counter where the sword exchanges would normally take place.

Cloud's ears were completely upright, making him look like a strange rabbit again. His tail was rather stationary, save for the tip of it flicking wildly behind him. All of a sudden, the young handler had a feeling of why his dragon looked so still and intrigued. Before he could even reach out to grab him, He bounded from the counter and landed on the ground below with a small thump. He could see the tiny dragon skittering across the street on all fours like a lizard to reach the venue chalk full of shiny objects.

"Cloud, stop! Come back!" Zack cried as he hopped the counter and ran after his hatchling.

The small baby refused to acknowledge he was called out for, continuing to skitter across the busy street with his eyes locked on the shiny prize. He skittered up the wooden counter of the other stand and sat against it with a victory squeak. But when he glanced back at his master, Zack couldn't help but notice that the mark on his forehead was shimmering very brightly in the sunlight, kind of like a…

However, the squeak startled someone inside. They cried out it alarm and dropped a small armful of armor, making it clatter and clang loudly against the ground as he too fell down. The young teen dashed up to the counter to see what kind of ruckus his fledgling caused, while the little dragon hopped inside to play with the objects that fell on the floor.

He glanced inside to see a young child clad from head to toe in heavy articles of clothing, from the hat to his head and the jacket over his body. His face was completely hidden behind the objects, save for a pair of startled glowing yellow eyes, trying to back away from the small baby dragon as it glanced over the shiny armor pieces now on the floor.

"Vivi, what happened?" The voice of Steiner echoed from deeper inside the shop.

He could be heard clanking to the front of the store, appearing in view clad in his full armor attire and with Pluto on his right shoulder. From the sight of an actual dragon in their shop caused the drake to bound off his owner's shoulder with a cry and scurry away. He paused beside the small child, whom looked up at him with fright.

"A, A dragon scared me!" The child known as Vivi exclaimed, quickly scampering back up to his feet to dash behind the former knight, glowing yellow eyes staring down to the dragon before his feet.

"What on earth is a fresh hatchling doing in here?" Steiner admonished, watching the little one crawl all over the armor with happy squeaks, sweater-covered hands trying to catch the light reflected against them.

"I am _so_ sorry about Cloud, Steiner! He just leapt away from me!" Zack exclaimed, finally bringing attention to himself.

Both Steiner and Vivi glanced up from the baby dragon and to the young teen, seeing that he had both a concerned and sheepish look on his face.

"Zack! It's you! I haven't seen you since Genesis went on that rampage nearly a week ago! Are you alright? One more thing, is this _your_ dragon?" The former knight questioned quickly, his queries almost running together.

"Oh, me? Totally fine, and yeah, that's my dragon. I actually got my mark that day Genesis brought me back here in a rampage." Zack responded, quickly flashing his Dragon Mark to the older man. Vivi continued to hide behind the knight.

"I'll be darned! Congratulations! Ah, but first-" Steiner motioned.

He bent down and pulled the small babe off the armor carefully. Cloud was then quick to realize he was not near his handler and was being picked up by someone other than him! He started to squeak and squeal in fright, squirming wildly in his grasp. The former knight gasped when he realized the babe wasn't being cooperative anymore, quickly placing him against the counter before he could drop him.

The fledgling was quick to scamper back to his master with a distressed squeal, burying his face into his gut and curling his tiny body into him.

"I'm so sorry he startled you, Vivi, and I'm sorry he made a huge mess in your store, Steiner. I had never shown him the outside until today." Zack apologized profusely as he curled his arms around the frightened dragon protectively. He picked up the name of the small cloaked child and used it, to save them from an awkward air otherwise.

"It's okay…" Vivi muttered, his eyes glancing down at his boots.

"No worries, I'm just glad no one was hurt. But I have to say, Zack, you have a very interesting dragon. I've seen a good number that look like him, but not exactly like him. He's got some major differences." Steiner commented. But then he blinked in realization. "Oh, how rude of me! Zack, this is Vivi, he's my apprentice. Vivi, this is Zack, he's the nephew of Angeal, the blacksmith across the street you sometimes see." He introduced.

"Nice to meet you." Zack greeted with a polite smile, before he decided to answer the former knight's comment. "I looked up his breed in the dragon book, but there was no information at all about a Re Nuvole, save for how big they get as adults." He informed.

In the background, Vivi took to cleaning up the scattered armor pieces and put them where they went, Pluto finally making a timid return as he helped out too. Cloud stopped whining and hiding and started purring as he was protectively held close to his handler.

"A Re Nuvole? Why does that sound familiar?" Steiner thought for a moment, his face scrunching up in thought. "Ah!" He recalled with a snap. "When I used to be a knight for the King and Queen, I remember coming across a book with that name in it!"

"Wait, are you s _erious?_ Did it have any, _any,_ information about it?" Zack quickly asked, his eyes lighting up in hope.

"I do believe so. I remember reading about how rare they were in the common age now."

Zack whined in defeat, banging his head against the counter before he moaned out, "I wish I could get that book! I don't know _anything_ about Cloud! Besides how big he's going to get and that he's probably rare and threw up a pearl!" He added.

"Wait, he threw up a pearl?" Steiner gasped.

"Yeah. He ate his eggshell after he hatched and spit up a pearl a few hours later." Zack responded as he lifted his head from the counter, but kept that pitiful look on his face.

"I see, so he's also a pearl-spitter."

"A do-what?"

"A pearl-spitter. Only two or three dragon breeds today can do it, but when they eat their eggshells, they spit up a pearl." He explained lightheartedly. But his eyes narrowed as he spoke again. "It's imperative you let no one else besides you, myself, and your uncle know of this." Steiner added on, a serious look burning behind his eyes.

"Wait, why?" Zack inquired, his heart clenched tight in his fist from the anxiety that followed.

"There are people that think dragons can do it more than once. They'll steal the pearl-spitters and force it to eat egg remains and also force it to hack something up later. The breeds of dragons that exist today that can do this are considered an endangered breed and usually are taken away from handlers and released to a protected zone if it's found out. They don't want to run the risk of a human with that kind of dragon abusing its power or killing it off like that." He explained.

Zack swallowed hard at the cold facts, but nodded silently. His arms curled around Cloud a little tighter, even if his brain wasn't aware that he did.

"Also, keep an eye out on your dragon when he's outside. That jewel on his forehead is bound to make the poachers leap out of the shadows just to get their hands on him." Steiner added, pointing to it for emphasis.

Zack's hunch _had_ been right. When the light hit his hatchling's forehead just right, the mark on it shined just like a jewel or a gem, just like a bright colored ruby.

Well, there was something else he found out about his dragon, but aside from that, he still knew next to nothing! So he slammed his head back into the counter again and groaned. Not only did he have to keep Cloud's pearl-spitting abilities a secret from others, but he had to hide him –or his jeweled dotted forehead to be specific, whenever he went outside! He had to keep him safe from danger and poachers and he _still_ didn't know the full details of a Re Nuvole breed!

"Ah, if only I could get access granted so I could check that book out!" He complained, knowing very well it would never happen.

"Well, as a former knight, I still have clearance to enter the castle and any room I chose. I could find the book for you and lend it to you? See if it could answer any of your questions?"

Zack was quick to perk back up with optimism and joy burning in his eyes like a bright light. "You would do that?" He asked, his voice lighthearted and bouncy. Cloud glanced up at his handler with a squeak, wondering why he went from deflated to inflated so quickly, the jewel on his forehead shimmering brightly in the sunlight.

"Of course! I could do there this afternoon and get you to book by tomorrow! After all, I owe a bunch for your uncle, so doing a favor for you would be one of the many ways to pay him back." Steiner assured.

"Oh thank you _so_ much, Steiner! You're a life saver!" Zack thanked, quickly shaking the former knight's hand wildly.

"It's no problem, but there might not even be much information about a Re Nuvole besides what you already might know." Steiner reminded.

"I know, but still, it's the thought that counts!"

"Alright, well, I'll let Vivi look after the shop and I'll head to the castle."

"Thanks again!" Zack thanked, bowing in appreciation.

Cloud had no idea what was going on, but he decided to copy the action too, seeing as how this man made his handler feel better just by speaking with him.

"One last thing!" Steiner added, spinning on his heel to rummage around the shop for something. He returned just moments later with something in his hand. He placed it onto the table before ending with, "For Cloud. It's on the house, since he seems to like shiny things so much."

The dragon peered down at the object, squeaking in delight when he saw the item that was all for him. It was a small chain with small gems carved into shapes on them, kind of like a wind chime or a mobile for a baby's bassinet. The gem carved objects resembled little dragons and eggs of the like.

For some reason, it caused a hazy memory to flash before Zack's eyes. He remembered gazing up at spinning toy dragons of his own and never being able to reach them no matter how hard he tried or how far he stretched. He snapped out of it when he heard the former knight speak up again.

"It used to belong to Princess Garnet before she married off to another kingdom. She and I were very close." Steiner informed. "But I have no further use of it, and it looked like your dragon would enjoy it very much." He added on with a smile.

Both the apprentice blacksmith and the armor crafter watched with smiles as Cloud peeled away from his handler to bat at the small trinket, a mile-wide smile on his face as his tail flicked from side to side in happy curiosity. The hatchling took the trinket into his mouth, holding it there as a muffled squeak of pride followed suit. Zack was quick to pick up his dragon in his hands with an affectionate smile. The little fledgling decided to pounce on his chest and cling to his shirt like before, a content purr rumbling around in his throat from behind the shiny trinket.

"Thanks again, Steiner, you're a huge help. I best be going now, before Angeal wonders where I went. Nice meeting you, Vivi!" Zack spoke before he turned away.

He heard the apprentice and the master bade him farewell as he walked away. He glanced down to the baby dragon clinging to his shirt with his new trinket in his mouth.

"I don't want you running off like that again, understand?" Zack chided with a set of firm, but not stern, eyes.

Cloud gave him a muffled squeak, confused at what his handler meant and why he was looking at him unhappily.

"You could have gotten hurt, or someone could have seen you as an unmarked or a jeweled dragon and ran off with you! I don't want to lose you just because you ran off without thinking, okay?" The young teen explained, his eyes softening, but only a little bit.

Cloud seemed to understand what his handler was getting at. He let out an apologetic garbled squeak and climbed a little higher up his master's shirt, gently butting his head against the bottom of his chin like a cat.

"Alright, you're forgiven." Zack appeased with a few strokes to those floppy white ears.

He gently eased himself over the counter of the blacksmith shop, having to be careful now that Cloud was clung to him like a koala. He arrived just in time to find Angeal searching around the workshop, probably looking for him. When he heard the teen slide in, he glanced up and towards the venue with a look of confusion on his face.

"Sorry I ran out without telling you, but I found out Cloud is attracted to shinys, and when he saw Steiner's armor shop, he bolted and I had to go chase him down." He explained as he approached the older man and paused in front of him with a goofy grin.

"That's alright. So Cloud liked being outside then?" Angeal shrugged off before asking a question of his own.

"Oh yeah, he scurried across the street like it was my bedroom or something." Zack said with a gentle laugh, Cloud still clutching him and gnawing on the shiny trinket in his mouth.

"Well, I was originally going to ask you to watch over the shop, but seeing how Cloud has no problem with the outside, I suppose I can ask you something else instead." Angeal responded, gently reaching out to run a finger over the dragon's blonde spikes at the mention of his name. The babe flinched at first, but eventually let out a garbled squeak of appreciation at the older man.

"Ask me what?" Zack inquired, tilting his head to the right a bit.

"We're getting low on food in the house, do you think you could do the shopping in the third tier this afternoon?" He inquired, pulling his finger away from the baby dragon as he glanced to his nephew.

"I guess so? But I really don't want to run the risk of Cloud bolting like that again, knowing how he is now and knowing he might be a rare dragon too. I mean, he's spit a pearl and he has a gem or a ruby on his forehead, that's already grounds for dragon-napping." Zack responded uneasily, hand going to rub the back of his head.

"I thought you might say that-" Angeal started, breaking away from his spot to claim a messenger bag hanging from a nail in one of the wooden support beams in the workshop. "-You can carry him in this and let him hide out in it, as well as carry the groceries." He suggested.

"That'll work!" Zack spoke, a natural bounce returning to his voice as he took the bag in his own hands. "Wait, how come you didn't seem shocked when I said Cloud had a ruby or something like that on his forehead?" He added skeptically.

"You mean you just now noticed that was a jewel? I noticed it when I first saw him, I just didn't say anything because I thought you knew it already." Angeal responded with a smirk, before waving it off easily.

The young teen was going to say something, but his uncle stopped him by speaking up again.

"I'll leave you to it then, thank you Zack. Ah, here's the list. I have to go appease Genesis after our fight this morning anyways." The older man chuckled before he handed the list to his nephew and turned away with a quick wave.

The young teen shrugged before he waved him off until the door shut behind him before stuffing the list into his pant pocket. He shook the remaining shock out of his face, wondering how others could have noticed and he didn't! Some 'Dragon Handler' he was. He shook his head though with a faint smirk. No use beating himself up about that now! He then glanced down to his little dragon, smiling when he was still gnawing and sucking on the shiny ornament as if it was a pacifier this whole time.

"So, got a proposition for you." Zack mused.

Cloud gave him a muddled squeak in response.

"If you can stay in this bag, you can come with me to go grocery shopping outside the house. So, can you stay in the bag and be a good little hatchling?"

Cloud got so excited about the prospect of going outside again that when he squeaked loudly in agreement, the trinket fell out of his mouth and against his handler's chest, squished in between his own body and the raven-haired teen's.

"I'll take that as a yes." Zack responded as he used one of his hands to grab the charm squished in between them before dangling it in the air above the fledgling. He deposited it back into the baby dragon's expectant mouth when he tried to reach up and grab it with his tiny slightly forked tongue.

While he was intrigued with the trinket right now, he didn't want to run the risk of his dragon getting bored while in the bag. He needed to grab an extra form of entertainment, namely the chocobo toy he had made specifically for his dragon. So he set Cloud down on the table where most of their shinys were kept so he'd be occupied long enough for him to run upstairs and grab it.

However, when he set the little dragon down and started to peel away, he started squeaking frantically. He glanced over his shoulder to see Cloud reaching out for him with sweater-covered hands, his spit-coated charm now in his lap as it fell from his mouth. His big blue eyes were wide and watery as he begged for his handler to come back.

"I'm not going far, Cloud. I'm just gonna go grab your friend from upstairs." Zack assured, not moving from his spot as he explained where he was going.

Cloud would have none of that, however. He was quick to lean over the table while reaching out for him. The teen had to book it when he realized his hatchling was way too close to the edge of the table and still continuing to lean over it. He grabbed ahold of the baby dragon just as he leaned off the table, falling into his master's waiting hands as the charm tinked out of his lap and against the floor, remaining undamaged.

"Alright, alright, you can come with too! Rule number one: _Never_ put Cloud down." Zack chided himself as he bent over and reclaimed the fallen charm from the floor, wiping it off on his pants before giving it back to the fledgling.

So he carted the little dragon along with as he exited the workshop, left the living room, and headed upstairs to his bedroom. He was quick about getting in, grabbing the toy sitting on his bed, and leaving as fast as he had entered. The toy was immediately grabbed by the hatchling and held in his hands as they walked back downstairs. Once in the workshop again, the young teen made sure he had enough Gil to pay for the food and ran over the list he had pulled out of his pocket to glance over.

It was the usual that they got: Oats, potatoes, grains, assorted veggies and plenty of meat for the both of them and Genesis too. They never did buy much sweet things anymore, which was a real shame because sweets tasted so good even if they were a tad bit expensive. Like cake; cake was a complete luxury to them and usually only had it on birthdays or special occasions. Recalling that _he_ had a birthday a few days ago and he _still_ hadn't gotten a cake, he could splurge a bit to buy the necessary ingredients for it.

He set the list down on the weapons table for a moment before holstering the bag over his shoulder. He then glanced to Cloud from his spot in his arms, whom glanced at him respectively.

"You ready?" He asked.

The little dragon let out a happy squeak in response.

So Zack gently lowered the small baby into the bag, making sure he was nestled up comfortably inside. He had his chocobo, he had his shiny trinket, he looked good to go. So he lowered the flap of the bag over the hatchling, the young one squeaking softly. With everything ready to go, he set out to go get those groceries. But that ended up being no easy task. It had been fine for the first five minutes of the two being outside, Cloud in the bag and Zack leading them towards the third tier of the city. But then the little dragon started getting curious about what all was outside.

Cloud didn't mind the darkness in the bag, he had a little bit of sunlight filter in through the gap of the bag's flap, but all the smells and sounds were making him really curious as to what was out there. Sure, he had his shiny trinket and his favorite toy, but it wasn't enough to keep him completely satisfied. There were things to discover that he didn't know! So, he carefully peeked his head out of the bag, hands on the lip of it as he glanced around.

He squeaked in a breathless fashion; the strong sunlight beaming down on them, the sounds of the people, livestock, and general clamor in the air, the many smells of the market and the whole kingdom itself. His floppy ears perked up as he honed in on all those sounds, his small nose sniffing to smell all those smells, and his tail gently swishing from inside the bag. However, when his handler glanced down and saw that he was taking a peek, his eyes got firm again. Cloud squeaked at him desperately, trying to tell him he was only taking a harmless little peek!

But Zack ended up gently pushing him back into the bag and a soft 'No, Cloud.' The little dragon huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He was getting bored of his toys and shinys! He wanted to see what his master was seeing! He wanted to hear what he was hearing! He tried to take a sneaky peek by only sticking his head halfway out of the bag. It seemed to work, he could still see and smell and he was much less obvious.

However, his ever observant handler was quick to notice he wasn't staying still like he promised. He only realized his mistake when he felt those familiar fingers push on his rounded horns. His darn horns were causing a lump in the bag! So he was gently pushed back into a sitting position in the material carrier again. Cloud pouted even harder, his cheeks puffing out and his tail slapping the bottom of the bag loudly.

Why was it so wrong for him to just look? He didn't understand! There was nothing wrong with him taking a peek! It's not like he was going to jump out of the bag and run off like he did earlier this afternoon! He –pretty much, knew better. What if he tried to tell Zack he was only taking a harmless peek? Yeah! Surely his master wouldn't mind if he explained himself!

So he started squeaking out his explanation loud enough so his handler could hear him. He barely got four words in before Zack patted the side of the bag and told him to quiet down gently. Cloud was stunned. Why would he tell him to be quiet now? He never minded when he squeaked to him before! Well that just made him mad! Just for telling him to be quiet when he tried to explain himself, he was going to squeak obnoxiously! So he started his high-pitched peeps and squeals and started to cause a ruckus from inside the bag. It wasn't fair that he couldn't take a peek and he was going to let his master _know_ about it!

"Cloud, stop it!" Zack warned, trying to put his hands over him from outside the bag.

No way! He wasn't stopping! So he just started squeaking even louder to make up for the lack of movement in the bag. It didn't take long until his antics had his handler opening the flap of the bag and peering inside. Cloud glanced up at him innocently, nice and quiet at that point now that he finally got the man to look at him. He didn't like the stern look Zack was giving him though. I mean, what was that for? So he started to squeak in an informative fashion, explaining how all he wanted was to peek outside and see what he was seeing.

"People are staring, Cloud! Quit making a scene!" Zack scolded before he abruptly tossed the flap back over him and started walking again.

Cloud whined softly from the punishment. He guessed he was still just a bit too young for his master to understand him. From what his dragon instincts were telling him, he was supposed to be able to communicate telepathically with his handler already, but for some reason he couldn't speak to him him just quite yet. Another part of him thought that it was because of the kind of dragon he was.

He knew he wasn't like the other dragons, like Genesis or a few others he saw during a quick peek just a few moments ago. He was different from them all, somehow. He didn't really get it himself, but it was probably due to that weird difference which caused the telepathic gap between handler and dragon. Maybe when that connection had been established in their heads, then Zack would be able to understand him and speak with him, and vice versa.

But for now, he was just going to sit in the bag and quietly whine out of frustration and misunderstanding. He could always get his master to know how he felt from those surges he used to do in egg state –something he can remember vividly for some strange reason. But it wasn't enough now that he wasn't in that stage anymore. Now that he was capable of some kind of communication, he didn't want to revert back.

Deep thoughts really. He didn't even know why he knew this stuff. It was like something was telling him these things from deep inside his dragon senses. Weird. But a new set of sounds and smells had his curiosity. He could hear people calling, something sizzling, and he could smell a marvelous aroma of seasoned and spicy things. It just smelled and sounded so good! He wanted to know what was out there again! He whined, wanting to see what was causing it but knowing he'd get scolded if he peeked on purpose. Wait, who said he couldn't peek as long as it was by accident?

When he glanced down to his chocobo, an idea struck him like a chord. He had a good grip on the toy that was slightly bigger than him and ever so gently and carefully peeked his eyes out from the gap in the flap. He gently eased the toy out of the bag and purposely dropped it against the ground. He was then able to stick his head completely out and squeak loud enough to get his handler's attention, as if reaching for the toy he dropped. Now he could get a good view by purely 'accident'.

They looked as if they were walking through a food district of the market. Small restaurants and venues of grills and bars were set up here and there, the people generally having a good time and finding something to eat. He even saw a young man and a dragon in his human form hold hands and enter a restaurant with a strange symbol underneath their sign. It almost looked like a grid, or two letters smashed together. For some reason, that just really stuck with him. Zack stopped walking and glanced behind him to see what was up.

"Oh, you dropped your toy." He stated as he backtracked a few steps and reclaimed the fallen toy.

He handed back to Cloud, still playing the innocent card and playing it very well. Once the toy was in his arms, he was gently eased back into the bag with careful and guiding hands.

"Now stay in there and keep quiet, okay?" He encouraged, playfully putting his index finger over his lips before closing the flap again.

Cloud squeaked once in a naïve fashion, knowing very well he was just going to do it again when the sights and sounds got too interesting to ignore. Besides, he still didn't see _why_ he couldn't even show his face out of the bag. His handler wasn't telling him that and it was irritating to say the least. He was just curious and he wasn't going to run off! So why not just let him keep his head out? He didn't understand the conversation his master had with the other man that kinda looked like said master, his kin if he remembered correctly. Dragon-napping? What was so wrong with him taking a nap? And was he upset because he made a pearl just for his handler out of his own eggshells? He seemed to be distressed about that too.

Maybe he was upset because he didn't make him _more_? He cocked his head to the right as he thought of that from inside his bag. If that was the case, couldn't he just make him more by eating more eggshells or eggs themselves? Well if that was all his master required, he could make that happen easily! He just needed to get his claws on some eggs! Although the sweater swallowing his hands always made his claws much less efficient.

The sounds and sights started to change again, and Cloud wanted to know what was up. So he prepared his shiny trinket for deployment, grabbing a hold of it and edging his way to the gap in the bag's flap. He peeked his eyes out, looking to the left and the right. Yup, new terrain. Time to plant the seed. He tossed the shiny charm out of the bag, then followed the pattern he made of lean out and squeak loudly.

Time to observe his surroundings. It appeared as if they were currently walking down some steps to lead to the lower levels of the city. But as he glanced behind him, he saw a mighty building looming over the sky at the highest point in the city. It had so many chambers and the area it covered was so vast and beautiful. He heard someone to his right talking to themselves about how big Castle Shin-Ra looked from even the third tier of the kingdom. That tall building must be the castle! The inside probably looked as pretty as it did on the outside. It was possibly chalk full of shinys!

Zack stopped walking and glanced behind him again to see that another one of Cloud's toys had fallen out. But judging by the way he was glancing around in awe and not even looking at or reaching for his precious shiny, he caught on that it was all just a ruse so he could peek out of the bag. He picked up the ornament and placed it back into the baby dragon's sweater-covered claws.

"Alright, Cloud. I'm on to your tricks. No more purposely dropping things out of the bag so you can take a peek. You need to stay in there." Zack informed with a sly eye and a stern tone before he gently bopped the shimmering jewel on the hatchling's forehead.

Cloud squeaked in surprise and shock when his master caught on to his antics. He whined in protest as he was guided back inside the bag, but a sharp clear of the throat had him silent. The flap went back over his head and he played with his charm blandly. Why, oh why, did his master have to be so darn _mean_? Not even a simple _peek!_ Pretty rude if you think about it. So what if he spit a pearl and he looked funny compared to all the other dragons? Why would that make his master have to hide him all the time! When he was in his egg, he couldn't _stop_ showing him off!

He heard the man in armor from earlier say something about him being a Re Nuvole. It was a name both strange and foreign as it was familiar and memorable. So what if he apparently had a jewel on his forehead too? Why did he have to hide because of it? Was it a bad thing for dragons to have jewels on their bodies? He didn't know and it was just making him confused, so he focused on smaller things instead, like why his master wouldn't tell him why. But he stopped thinking about it when he felt his handler stop walking and start talking instead.

"What can I do for you today, young man?" The voice of a woman asked.

"I just need a bushel of carrots and potatoes if you don't mind." His master replied.

They must be at the place where they would do this 'grocery shopping' as it was called. He nearly gasped in realization. If his master was busy talking with someone else, he could take some more sneaky peeks outside the bag! He made his movements small and undetectable so Zack couldn't catch on. He slowly peeked his head out from the bag and had himself another look.

They were in a completely different place! The trails below their feet were made of dirt, and the venues didn't look as fancy as the ones back home. They looked a bit more run down, but the people here seemed to be so much more happy looking. They walked about with smiles on their faces and struck small talk with others. Even the people trying to sell things were doing it nicely, which made more people come to check out what they had to offer.

There were more children here, smaller humans really. They were kind of like the dragons to their parents if you thought about it. They were close, enjoyed each other's company, and looked out for the other. It was real sweet. Cloud peeked his head out a little further from the bag, leaning his body out of it some. The air here smelled very earthy, but sweet. Kind of like a heavy rain in a patch of grass. A young woman with a little boy holding onto her hand walked past, but the boy got a glimpse of him and slowed down, ultimately making his mother slow to a stop as well.

Cloud noticed that he looked really scared of him, even if he was a tiny dragon sticking out of a bag. He squeaked at the little boy curiously, as if asking why he looked so scared of him. The brown-haired boy gently stepped towards him with uncertainty, his brown eyes never breaking away from his bright blue ones. Cloud could see a black mark hiding under the child's hair. His dragon instinct immediately told him it was a burn mark from a dragon's flame.

He seemed like a really sweet child, even if he did seem frightened. So he gently craned his neck out until his nose was practically touching the little boy's cheek. He started to sniff him, squeaking quietly, but genuinely when the boy started to giggle and smile brightly, no longer afraid of him.

"What a sweet baby dragon. See Denzel? Not all dragons are bad." The mother spoke with a smile of her own.

That's when Zack caught on. He heard him shift, and without breaking away from his sniffing the child he knew his master was looking at him, probably with a stern look again. But he continued to sniff and squeak at the boy, making sure he was content with his tiny presence and sniffs.

"Is this your dragon?" The mother asked, pulling Zack's attention away from Cloud and towards her instead.

"Oh, yeah, he's my dragon." Zack responded.

"He's very sweet, I can't even remember the last time Denzel felt so calm around a dragon before." She responded as she glanced down to her son.

"Did something happen?" The young teen inquired.

"When he was small, a wild dragon appeared in the third tier. Denzel wanted to be friends with it, but it burned him pretty bad, that's why he has that black spot on his forehead." She responded, watching Zack's dragon sniff her son and squeak happily. "But knowing that there are dragons like yours around is very comforting for me." She responded as she smiled at him.

"Oh, um, thank you?" Zack thanked, not sure if it was really a compliment or not.

"He definitely looks strange, but a good strange. You've got a good dragon, young man. I wouldn't let that one go if I were you." The woman responded. "Come on Denzel, let's go. You can play with the dragon some other time."

"Aww! Okay. Bye-bye dragon!" Denzel smiled, patting Cloud's head gently before walking off with his mother.

The little dragon watched him walk away with his mother with a little squeak. He glanced up at his master to see if he was happy he made the boy happy, but that soft look on his face saddened when he was sternly gazing down at him.

"I'm only letting you off the hook because you brightened that boy's day, but stick your head out of the bag one more time and don't think I won't go easy on you." Zack warned.

Cloud gave him a pitiful look and squeaked a few times, gently telling him why he wanted to have a look outside in the first place. But a small smile curved across his master's face when he finished his polite squeaking.

"I know you're curious and you just want to look, but you have to stay in there because there are some bad people out there that would love to take you away from me if they found out about you. You don't want that, do you?" Zack asked.

What? People that would want to take him away from his master? No! He didn't like that thought! He loved his master, even if he had only known him for two days as a dragon instead of an egg. He started to squeak frantically and reach for his handler. He was gently lifted out of the bag and placed atop his master's shoulder, where he was quick to squeak again and butt his face against his cheek. He felt those two familiar fingers stroke through his hair and run down his back lovingly.

"I'm not making you stay in there to be mean, I'm making you stay in there so you can be safe." Zack explained, gently taking those fingers to massage the humanoid dragon's ears next.

Cloud squeaked in understanding as he leaned into the touch, eyes closed as he fully enjoyed the sensation.

"Now, how about we finish up the shopping?" He suggested with a small smile.

He squeaked in response to his handler, getting the silent cue. He pulled away from him and scurried down his arm before hopping back into the bag without any further fuss. The flap was gently closed over him and Cloud found solace in gnawing on his toy chocobo's beak instead. He'd do anything to stay with his master, even if it meant toning down his curiosity.

But just a little. He stayed still and obedient from inside the bag, even helping Zack placed the food and other assorted goodies into the bag without crushing him or anything else. They went from stall to stall, getting food item after food item. About halfway through the quest, his master eased in a dozen eggs into the bag, requesting that Cloud himself hold onto those so they wouldn't break. He took the carton of eggs into his shirt-swallowed hands and held them carefully. But then an old metaphorical flame flickered inside his head when he remembered his pearl-spitting trick.

If his master was upset for not getting more pearls, he'd just make him some more! So he took one of the eggs from the container. He wasn't sure if he just needed the shell or not, but just to be safe, he downed the whole egg in one bite and swallowed it whole. It was hard to do and he nearly choked on it as it went down, but if he could make another pearl for his handler, then it would be worth it! Zack was worth all the pearls he could make! After all, he was just looking out for him, that's all.

Knowing he wasn't being mean or stingy for no reason made him much happier and willing to listen and obey his master's commands, as well as make him some more shiny pearls. But he had a lot of eggshells the last time he made a pearl, would one tiny egg even be enough to make one? Not really sure, he took another egg from the carton and swallowed that one whole too. That should be enough to make a decent sized pearl!

So he sat and waited inside the bag as more and more food items were placed inside. He organized everything exactly the way Zack told him too. Heavy things like potatoes on bottom, and things like eggs and bread on top of those heavy things. Cloud was a very good direction-follower! A few times, his handler would glance into the bag to see if he was still okay with all the extra food in there, and he'd just give him a squeak back. The shopping would continue on after that.

But as they were finishing up the last bits of the shopping and were just starting to return back home, Cloud started feeling yucky. His stomach felt upset and it was churning even though he wasn't doing anything. Even just gently swaying in the bag was too much movement for him. He just wanted to lay down and be still and focus on not feeling so icky. It must have been those eggs! He wasn't used to actually eating solids yet, and those probably counted as them! His stomach wasn't big enough to handle solid foods yet, that was for sure.

There was no nausea when he had eaten just his shell when he first hatched, mainly because it was _just_ the shell, not a yolk or anything else. He really regretted swallowing those two eggs now. He wasn't even sure if they would even be big enough to yield a pearl for his handler! So he curled his little arms around his stomach, hoping that the added pressure would negate the churning. It seemed to work, it wasn't as bad swaying in the bag anymore. He still felt really icky, but it was definitely lessened when he cradled himself and closed his eyes tight.

"We're back!" Zack called as he stepped inside the blacksmith shop again.

Cloud was still too busy fighting with his nausea to really notice they had stopped walking and were now in a much warmer environment than before. They maneuvered through the shop and the living room before entering the kitchen. Cloud could just tell without looking. He was already familiar with his home and could map it out without needing to see.

"Welcome back, how did it go?" Angeal inquired.

"It went pretty good. Cloud kept trying to peek out of the bag, but he eventually listened and stayed put." Zack responded with a bounce to his voice.

"Good. Just in time, I was fixing to start cooking dinner, but now that the shopping's been done, we can have something nice instead of rice porridge. Maybe steak, haven't had that in a while." Angeal responded.

"Cool! I'll leave the groceries in here, I'm going to take Cloud and wash us up before dinner."

The flap was opened as soft light washed into the bag. Cloud winced slightly, but refrained from squirming. He just kept himself wrapped up in his safety ball with his arms pressed into his stomach and his eyes closed. When he did pry one of his eyes open, his handler was gazing at him with concern in his eyes and a confused frown on his mouth. He gently lifted him out of the bag, hands cradled behind his head and rear. The sudden movement upset his upset tummy and caused him to whine and close his opened eye.

"Cloud? Are you alright?" Zack asked him sympathetically, running a finger over his puffy blond spikes.

"Is there something wrong with him?" Angeal asked as he started to unload the goods from the bag one by one.

"I don't know. He seemed fine just a little while ago." Zack responded with a deeper level of concern. "I'm going to go lay him down in my room." He added as he removed cloud's things from the bag and started to leave the kitchen.

"Hold on a second, Zack. Did you buy a full carton of eggs?" Angeal inquired.

"What? Yeah. Why are you asking me that?" The young teen suspired curiously, pausing to glance over his shoulder.

"There are only ten eggs in this batch." The older man responded, showing his nephew that two eggs were missing from the carton.

Zack mouthed a silent 'what' with his lips as his eyes narrowed in confusion. However, that muddled train of thought cleared and he glanced down at Cloud, who had only cracked one eye open as he still kept himself wrapped up like that.

"Cloud, don't tell me you ate those eggs." He pleaded gently, worry starting to brim in his eyes.

Cloud responded with a weak squeak, barely flicking his tail in agreement. He didn't want to move anything, not even his tail or ears.

"Why did you eat those, buddy? You know you can't eat solid foods yet!" Zack pressed with anxiety filling his voice. His master broke his gaze away from him and asked Angeal, "Is that bad? Is he going to be okay?"

"Honestly, I don't know. Genesis never ate solids when he wasn't supposed to." The older man responded with a sullen tone. "Try consulting that dragon book you got." He added, trying to be as helpful as he could.

"Right." Zack responded.

The young teen cradled the dragon a little tighter, readjusting him ever so slightly in order to press his little head to his chest before he carefully, but swiftly, took his leave from the kitchen. He hurried through the living room and up the stairs until he reached his room, trying to keep the hatchling as steady as possible. When entering his room, he was quick to lay the fledgling on his bed close to his pillow, placing his little chocobo next to him.

Cloud whined and squeaked pitifully when Zack walked away from him to get something on the other side of his room. He reached one of his hands out to try and motion his master to come back, the other arm still curled around his churning tummy. But when that lessened the tension-protection, he was quick to wearily squeak and draw his arm back to his gut. Thankfully, the young teen returned to his side, sitting against the side of the bed as his eyes quickly skimmed through a big red book.

He watched his master's eyes harden as he started to read through a particular section of the book, his face both determined and nervous. When he finished reading the section, his eyes weren't as wide, but the nervousness had turned into more uneasiness instead. He leaned over and gently ran a finger or two through his hair, an action that did not go un-squeaked, no matter how feeble the noise was.

"You really shouldn't have eaten those eggs, Cloud. Solids are really bad for you right now. If you can't get those up on your own in a few more minutes, I'm gonna have to help." Zack informed, continuing to run his fingers through his hair tenderly.

Cloud squeaked at him in a frightened fashion, his eyes brimming and blurring badly with tears. He just wanted to make his master happy, not worry him! Not only that, but he was scaring himself! What did he mean he'd have to help? But his frightened peeps were silenced when Zack shushed him a few times in a quiet and soothing voice, his fingers working through his hair fondly. They remained like that for a little longer, Cloud being hushed for every scared sounding squeak or squeal. His nausea only ending up getting worse, enough to the point where it felt like his tummy was being stabbed with something sharp as it churned. He felt his mouth water and he started to cough.

As soon as he did, Zack was quick to sit him up and lean him over gently, it was soon after that he started to spit up, well, spit. At first, that was all that came out, just saliva as he more dry heaved than actually threw up. Tears spilled out of his eyes as a few frightened squeaks managed to peep out in between the coughs and dry heaves.

"It's alright, Cloud. Just calm down, you'll be fine." Zack soothed.

The palm of his hand gently patted the little dragon's back, leaving Cloud feeling even worse. Eventually, it ended up doing the trick because he finally stopped coughing up spit and managed to get bits of half-digested egg yolk up and out of his system, the yellow liquid running down his mouth, clothes, and over his master's bed. But he was praised for getting it up little by little, reassured and encouraged, even if he was making a mess.

The last bits of egg came up, but he knew he wasn't finished yet. Now that he wasn't having to freak out about the whole 'eggs being solids' fiasco, he could see if eating those even provided his master with pearls or not. When he felt the familiar lump of one in the back of his throat, he retched that out with a string or two of saliva. So was it one for the price of two? Ah, nope, there was the second one following the first. He expelled that one too, his stomach completely cleaned out of the vile solids and even the pearls to show for his rather messy efforts.

Cloud squeaked quietly, voice pretty much gone after all that retching and gagging, but nevertheless, he gently pointed out the white pearls glimmering atop the egg yolk and slight stomach acid mix. He expected his master to go right for the pearls when he saw them, shock and surprise wide on his face, but he didn't. Instead, Zack reached over and picked him up.

"We'll worry about those pearls later, you need to be cleaned up first." Zack stated, cradling him close as he took him from the bedroom and into the bathroom on the same floor of the house.

A candle was lit as the small room was bathed in light. He was taken over to the sink and placed in the small basin. There was a faucet over it, and a lever was pulled forward, a steady stream of water flowing from it. That was another thing about Midgar, it was very much ahead of its time. They channeled aqueducts on the outer and inner rims of each tier, with wooden pipes leading underneath them and into the homes of others, providing them with water at the twist of a lever or the turn of a knob. Very handy, probably would catch on in some other towns in a few months or so. So, the water was gently splashed over Cloud's face to wash the bile off it.

He was carefully stripped from his oversized shirt and that was rinsed off too, getting the stink out of it with ease. Once he and the shirt were rinsed off, the faucet was turned off and the shirt wrung out. He was then carried out of the bathroom, the candle blown out before leaving it entirely. Zack took him back to the bedroom, where he was placed inside his hay-stuffed drawer for the time being, his chocobo and new shiny trinket on either side of him.

"You stay here while I rinse this quilt out. I know you don't like being left alone, but I think keeping you still will make you feel a little better then jostling you around on my shoulder or something." Zack explained, carefully picking the smaller pearls out of the mess before balling up the quilt from his bed and into his arms.

Cloud went to squeak in protest, but his voice was too broken to make any kind of noise with. He went to try and climb out of the drawer himself, but didn't like the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach from having nothing in it anymore. He was normally stubborn about being left alone, but there wasn't much he could do about it this time. So he just squeaked in a defeated fashion and let his master do what he said he was going to do.

He only lay in his drawer and squeak weakly for every exhale, his head pressed up against his toy chocobo for support and the quilt to cover his exposed body from the cool seeping in through the room via the open bedroom door. He heard his handler washing off the quilt from his bed, probably rinsing off the pearls he hacked up too. At least he ended up managed to spit those up after all, it brought a small smile to his pale face. Surely after all that it would make his master much happier knowing he got more pearls. If that's what he wanted, he'd go through all that again to give it to him.

The water stopped running and the quilt was heard being hung up from in the bathroom. Shortly after, Zack returned to the bedroom with a little grin on his face, the two small opaque white pearls in his right hand. He scurried over to his bookcase and rummaged through one of the shelves, pulling something down swiftly. Once it was in his hands, he scuffled back over where Cloud lay in the dresser, still squeaking quietly at him. The smaller pearls were placed next to the single larger one against the candleholder before his master reached down and lifted him up.

He was laid in his lap as a fresh outfit was being pulled over his head carefully. His handler helped guide his arms through the sleeves and pulled the fabric down over the rest of his body. The shirt he was guided into was different from the other one. This one was almost the same color as the last one, looking more like a dark navy instead of slate. The sleeves came rolled up, while he knew they were supposed to sit above his elbows, they rested below them and hung off him. A small scarf type thing was placed over his neck and that swallowed him too, draping off his neck, but being able to hide the bottom half of his face in it if he chose. It was only a shirt, but the hem of it stretched down to his knees with ease.

"There!" Zack chimed with a bigger grin, gently adjusting the shirt on him. "We're supposed to have a cold front coming in, says the weather wizard." He informed, patting at that little scarf gently.

But that little grin darkened, turning into more of a somber smile as he glanced to the pearls, then back at him. Cloud was confused, why did his handler look so upset about that? He squeaked at him quietly and tilted his head against his lap, seeing as he was still lying down comfortably on his master.

"Cloud, did you eat those eggs hoping you'd spit more pearls?" Zack asked, his hand gently petting his puffy yellow spikes.

He squeaked in response, telling him without speaking 'of course!' But why did that make the young teen look so sad when he peeped in agreement?

"I know you probably did that thinking it'd make me happy, and believe me, those are really pretty pearls, but I don't want you doing it anymore." Zack told him delicately.

Cloud squeaked in shock, his jaw hanging open as he gave his handler a very flabbergasted look.

"Honestly, knowing you can do that scares me." The young teen admitted.

Cloud tilted his head to the other side and repeated a shocked peep, a bit softer than the first one. He twittered quietly again, as if to ask 'how come'?

"You're a dragon that can spit up multiple pearls, not just one. If people find out about that, well, those will probably be the people that would take you from me. Plus, you've got a ruby on your forehead; there wouldn't be a crooked person alive that _wouldn't_ want to claim you as their own when they found that out." Zack explained, fingers running through his golden spikes as he clarified his fright. "You understand why I don't want you to spit pearls and why I want to shield you when we go outside, don't you?"

Cloud could feel the anxiety pulsing from his master's core like it was his very own heartbeat. He was nervous, frightened, and was desperate to keep him safe, the dragon could tell this much even if the words seemed slightly incoherent to him. He got it for the most part, but trying to hear someone talk in a language you don't understand just quite yet, it's tough. But taking how they look when they talk and what they feel too, he's able to deduce what they want from him or what they're trying to say.

He squeaked in soft agreement, understanding that spitting pearls was bad and that it was also bad if people saw the strange jewel on his forehead. That solemn and serious look instantly lifted from his handler's face, calm and soft joy replacing it easily. That alone made Cloud himself feel loads better.

"But I suppose I can't let your gifts go to waste. You did make them for me after all." Zack recalled, a bigger grin stretching out the corners of his mouth as his thumb and index finger came down to massage his floppy ears.

Cloud purred happily, glad that his master still did enjoy the fact he made pearls just for him. When he started to pull his hand away, he gently licked his fingers, giving him little dragon kisses. That made Zack's shiny eyes grow even more luminescent as he beamed down at him.

"Thank you, Cloud. You're so sweet!" He chirped before he leaned in and gave the baby dragon a kiss of his own, right on top of his bright red jewel.

Cloud felt warm all over at that as his jewel glowed softly from the contact, something activated for a moment before it faded back to its normal shine. It had his handler both in awe and surprise from the sight of the reaction. But it made him feel like he was on cloud nine! He felt so lightweight, so good, and so energized from it. He let out a bright and happy squeak, throwing his hands up into the air as he giggled.

He and his master already had something strong for sure. Once they established their telepathic connection, that bond they already had would only strengthen further.

Cloud couldn't wait.

* * *

A/N: Long chapter huh? Thankfully this chapter had been pre-written awhile ago, it just took me forever to fix some errors and actually upload it! ^^; I hope you guys enjoyed the super long chapter! Leave me some feedback so I know what you thought of it!

Also, a long chapter to make up for the long gap since the last one ;) (Still working on my health and mental state though!)

Until next time!  
Later!


	8. Chapter 8

Hey everyone! Sorry for the super long wait! I don't really have an excuse; I've had this chapter done for a long time now but always forgot to upload it. Well, here it is now at the very least! I'll try not to wait so long to post next time!

By the by, there's some things I want to inform you guys of. You can find the details at the end of the chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

The rest of the weekend flew by without much change, but now Monday was upon them and there was work to do. It was also Cloud's first day of seeing what it was like being with his master in the workshop. However, it was always getting started in the morning that was always the problem for the dragon tamer. Angeal always had the weekdays planned out like clockwork, so he was quick to realize something was off that morning. Zack was not up and in the workshop with him like he should be.

There was still some time before they had to get started, so he'd just go and wake up the young teen himself. Although he'd normally be up and bounding around, asking what to do by this time, so for him to still not be up or out in the shop was definitely a new development.

"Don't do anything until I get back." Angeal warned, pointing to Genesis with an eyebrow arched.

Genesis growled at him in a 'Why, I never!' fashion as he gestured to himself with a claw. The blacksmith departed from the workshop and made his way to his nephew's room upstairs. Sure, the sun may not be up yet, but that usually never stopped the energetic teen. He clanked up the stairs and across the hallway. The bedroom door was cracked as it had been yesterday, so he eased his way in, lingering by the frame.

Zack was still sleeping heavily in his bed, a different blanket over his body and Cloud snoozing on his chest in a tight ball, tail wrapped over his body, the tuft gently swaying from the slight breeze in the room. Angeal knocked against the open bedroom door before he further entered the bedroom, hoping that would be enough to wake the young teen up. However, it was Cloud whom stirred. His tail uncurled from his body as he let out a yawn, followed immediately with a tired squeak.

Sleepy blue eyes glanced up as his mouth smacked together quietly, a quick full body stretch following suit. His ears twitched when he heard the sound of footsteps drawing closer. His more alert cerulean eyes glimpsed up and caught his master's uncle strolling over to them. Cloud squeaked at him softly, wondering what he was doing.

"Good morning, Cloud. Don't mind me, I just have to wake Zack up so we can get the day started." Angeal informed, going to shake the teen's shoulder.

Before he had a chance to make contact, the –possible, Re Nuvole shot up and scurried closer to his master, pausing on his shoulder and hissing at the older man. The blacksmith eased his hand away and gave the baby dragon a curious look.

"Do you not want me to wake Zack up?" He inquired.

Cloud gave him a puffy squeak in agreement, his fists balled, ears pinned down, tail erect, and chest flared with determination to protect his master from being woken up.

"Very noble of you, but there's work that needs to be done in the shop, it's part of your master's responsibilities." Angeal enlightened before he tried to shake him awake.

Cloud was quick to let out an enraged high-pitched squeak as he swiped the older man's hand away, knowing not to use his claws on him since he was a friendly. The blacksmith placed his hands on his hips and gave the little dragon an amused smile.

"Well then, would you rather wake him up yourself?" He suggested.

The hatchling squeaked in denial and shook his head from side to side before holding out his arms on either side of him, as if he was protecting his handler. He started squealing at Angeal, telling him that Zack couldn't wake up yet because he needed sleep, and lots of it because he kept him up when he wouldn't let him sleep in his bed. So, keeping him asleep was his way of making up for that. But the older man didn't really want to hear it, even if he just smiled while the little dragon argued in his squeaky language.

But due to his squealing, Zack stirred with a groan, shifting as Cloud lost his balance and fell against his chest with a startled squeak. The young teen rubbed his eyelids as a noisy yawn drawled out of his mouth.

"Thanks for waking him up, Cloud." Angeal thanked with a grin.

The hatchling squeaked in an indignant fashion, his jaw dropped open before he angrily peeped at the older man. The high-pitched and one-sided argument had Zack lift his head up from his pillow to glance at his dragon with a tired smirk. Cloud looked over at his master and politely squeaked at him before crawling up his chest and butting his head against his chin affectionately.

"Hey, what are you doing in here, Angeal?" Zack groggily asked, noting that his uncle was standing beside his bed.

"I thought I'd ask you the same question. You _do_ know what time it is, right?" The older man replied.

The young teen had a tired and confused look on his face before his eyes widened in realization. His uncle was donned in his work apron, the sun was barely starting to rise, and he was still in bed! He should have been up before the sun, not after! He scooped Cloud up in his arms and all but threw himself out of his bed, the little dragon squeaking in surprise at the fast-paced action.

"Ah! I overslept! Sorry, Angeal! Cloud kept me up again!" Zack apologized, the grogginess all but gone.

"It's fine, just get to the shop when you can and we'll get started." The older man replied before making his way out of his nephew's room.

The young dragon handler peeled his dragon from his hands and held him at arm's length, staring right into those big blue eyes.

"You _really_ need to stop keeping me up at night." He said.

Cloud just giggled, his ears perking and his tail swishing happily. He wasn't going to stop and the teen knew it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask –or rather, imply. Not needing to change his clothes, since he was only going to be working today, Zack pulled his fledgling back to his chest and quickly scurried out of his room. The baby dragon was quick to rest his head and press his floppy ears against his master's chest, tuning into his favorite sound in the world with a content squeak.

The teen bounded down the stairs and briskly tore through the living room like a twister and into the workshop just as speedily. Angeal was just about to start the first project of the day while Genesis was lighting the furnace fire in his full dragon form. Zack grasped his apron from the rack, as well as his work gloves. The shop wouldn't be open for another hour or two, so he usually assisted his uncle with the forging. Cloud was hastily set down in order for the raven-haired teen to don his work apron and gloves. The baby was quick to be wrapped back up in his handler's arms before he could utter a single upset squeak.

"Alright, while I work you're going to have to sit in here." Zack directed as he gently eased the foot-tall babe into the large chest pocket of his apron.

It was just large enough to fit the small hatchling with ease, the pocket going up to shield the bottom of his face without trouble. Cloud squealed and gripped the hem of the pocket, gently wiggling himself up a little higher to get a better view. His ears were twitching as he took in all the new sounds in the familiar setting.

"I'm going to warn you now, Genesis will be breathing a lot of fire and there's going to be a lot of loud noises. You can stay in my pocket if you can handle it, but if it's too much for you I'm going to have to put you back in your drawer." Zack warned, pointing out what the other human and dragon were fixing to do.

Cloud peeped, signaling that he understood. He didn't want to go back into his accursed drawer, so he was going to brave through it even if it scared him! Honestly, he didn't know which was worse, the possibility of loud noises and seeing the other dragon breathe fire again or being alone and away from his handler. At least if he toughed out his fright he'd get to stay with his master and seek comfort from him. So that was a bonus.

"Alright Genesis, light it up." Angeal commenced, gesturing to the sheet of steel sitting before them.

The full formed Kazilik was quick to adhere to his master's commands, blowing a torch of hot flame against the shimmery material. Cloud squeaked quietly and hid his face against the lip of the apron pocket, barely looking up and glancing ahead with one big blue eye. The flame was bright and intense, hot and suffocating. The two humans were used to it, being around it nearly every waking moment of the day. The babe still had to adjust to the suddenness of it, but as long as he was close to Zack, he'd be okay.

The fire-spitting stopped, the room instantly cooling off as the sheet of steel was glowing orange. Angeal claimed his mallet from beside the piece of hot metal against the anvil. He slammed down onto the soft material, strengthening it and shaping it at the same time, small sparks flying up from the impact. Each strike and stroke from the hammer to the blade was loud, making Cloud's floppy ears twitch and his face wince from the volume alone. His hands quickly rose and he pressed his ears into the sides of his face, muffling the shrill sound by only a few decibels. The noise was still loud enough to have the baby wince and squeak softly in time with the striking.

"Is this too much for you?" Zack asked. His fingers gently ran through the humanoid dragon's blond hair to soothe him.

Cloud shook his head with a determined squeak. He removed his hands from his furry white and red-lined ears, but he still kept those appendages smooshed to his face. If his master was okay with the noise and fire, then he could learn to be okay with it too. Instead of focusing on the noise, the hatchling wedged himself deep into the chest pocket of his handler's work apron, ears pressing to his chest through the fabric. As long as he could still hear that heartbeat, he'd be okay for sure.

Zack smiled and patted at the lump in the pocket of his apron before hopping next to the anvil, knowing he needed to start helping too. Angeal pulled away from the forming piece of steel, handing off his mallet to his nephew, whom looked at it with surprise.

"You try. This is just a simple blade, nothing fancy. It should be something you can do." Angeal responded, gently shaking the tool so the younger boy would take it.

Zack took the mallet into his hands with hesitance. He had helped his uncle form blades before, but he was never given the charge to do it all on his own. But he shrugged nonetheless. He had worked on small blades and daggers on his own before, so how was this any different? Most of the blade's shaping had already been done, the familiar contour of a sword sitting before him. The orange sheen was fading from the metal fast, and if it did it would make strengthening and further alteration of the blade next to impossible.

"Gen, more heat." Zack directed. He waved him over as if he wasn't sitting right next to his uncle.

The Kazilik dragon rolled his eyes before spurting out a gentle flame. It was much less harsh than his usual flame, probably because a frightened Cloud was hiding in his breast pocket. To be honest, he did feel bad about frightening the little one yesterday. He decided to be –a bit, more gentle than normal while that little puffball was around. It would be nice to not have the little dragon hate him just because of his eccentric nature, even if it was a little hard to control. Cue self-inflated ego.

The baby dragon slowly decided to lift his head out of the pocket, curious about what his handler was going to do. He watched the more gentle flame wash over the steel and reheat it steadily, the orange and yellow glow returning over the shiny material. He normally would have tried to swipe at the shiny, but that fire was as hot as it was bright. He may be curious, but he wasn't stupid. He'd play with it when it wasn't glowing orange and heated like so.

But his curiosity ended when Zack started striking against the steel with the mallet, causing the little hatchling to squeak and bury himself back into the depths of that pocket. Ears instinctively cupped around the shape of his master's chest, honing in on that heartbeat to distract himself from the loud noise. Once the firm beat was located, he purred gently and snuggled against it. He was able to tune out the harsh banging of tool to steel after that.

Whenever the orange sheen started to disappear, the fire was brought back on and the striking continued. Angeal watched analytically from his spot on the other side of the anvil, watching his nephew pick up the craft with a bit more of an expertise tone. Small sparks flew from the metal like tiny fireworks on a clear summer's night sky before raining down and vanishing into the air around.

The clock hanging near the venue changed hour, little bells inside the machinery chiming out the hour of eight in the morning. Angeal glanced up to check it for himself, as if the clock could display the wrong time it sounded out.

"Alright Zack, I think that's good enough. You can head to the front of the shop and open up there." Angeal spoke up.

Zack glanced up from his hammering with a near dazed look on his face, once enraptured in the work and brought out of it swiftly. A familiar sheen returned to the sapphire blue and a smile tugged the corners of his lips. He handed over the mallet with the same chipper grin before bounding away from the anvil. When Cloud sensed the loud noises had stopped, he slowly peeked his head out of the pocket and took a gander. They had moved from the workshop and into the small opening he had leapt from yesterday. He watched as his handler flicked a sign around near the mouth of the notch.

Zack glanced down to see his dragon peeking out of his pocket and looking around curiously. A brighter smile overcame his face as his index and middle fingers gently trailed over the dragon's rounded, tan horns. Cloud glanced up and behind him with a squeak, big cerulean eyes shining brightly in the morning sunshine.

"Alright Cloud, you can stay in my pocket like this, but no hopping out or running off. There's going to be a good number of people stopping by here today and I don't want the shifty ones knowing you're a different type of dragon." Zack told him, continuing to gently round his fingers over those horns.

The hatchling squeaked in understanding, purring when those fingers moved from his horns and to his floppy ears instead. Thankfully, the marks under his cheeks looked just like marks. If they were actually gems like his forehead one was, he didn't know. Better to be safe than sorry.

With that, it was straight to work. He had to push the sales of their wares every once in a while when the shop had no lines or was rather dead. He had to clean and organize the display weapons they had out for viewing, showcasing his uncle's talent as a blacksmith. From going to a simple pianist to a heavy-handed weapons crafter, it was quite the jump. He wondered if Angeal could still play the piano after all these years. While he was lost in his thoughts and cleaning those steel blades, Cloud was batting at them playfully. He was smudging them up sinisterly after his master would just finish wiping down a spot absently.

When the young teen did snap out of his thoughts, he noticed the blade he was currently wiping down kept getting dirtier the longer he cleaned it. But when he saw Cloud stick his hand out of his pocket and smudge the blade, the answer was spelled out for him.

"Quit it, you goofball!" Zack commanded lightheartedly, ruffling the puffy blond hair below him with three gloved fingers.

The hatchling giggled and tittered brightly, his tail swishing at the tip from inside the apron pocket he sat in. He had to glance upside-down at his handler again with a gently squeak. Out of all the shinys he had ever laid his eyes on, Zack's eyes were the shiniest of them all. From the way they glistened in the sunlight to the way they shimmered when he smiled. Even the way they sparkled like diamonds when he glanced down and grinned at him. They were always so captivating to get lost in for the little dragon. His handler had the nicest eyes out of any other person to walk the earth. Cloud skittered out of the pocket, using his claws and feet to scale up his master's shirt.

"Hey! What did I say about leaving that pocket?" Zack reminded.

He was making move to wrap his hands around the fledgling's waist and set him back in the apron pocket, but his hands paused in mid-air when the little dragon reached up with his right hand and patted at his cheekbone. The little hand patted right underneath his eye and he was tittered at softly.

"You really like my eyes, don't you?" The young dragon handler asked with a smirk. A faint pink blush burned across his cheeks.

Cloud squeaked happily, tail flicking side to side and ears perking up. However, when people started to approach the venue, they had to get back to work. The small dragon was carefully placed back into his handler's apron pocket while the teen resumed his tasks with a big grin and polite speech.

They worked on through the morning, the dragon being obediently still and the young raven-haired teen being attentive and productive. Orders were taken while some were given to their respective customers. Some just wanted to browse over the weapons they already had pre-made or to test out their durability. They didn't slow down until it was nearly time to break for lunch, morning transitioning over to high noon.

Zack peered out from beneath the awning, his hand shielding his eyes as he glanced up to the sky. There were some clouds already overhead and coming in from the east, where the cold continent of Icicle was located. The weather wizard predicted the patterns right once again. If his hypothesizes remained true, the cold front would bring about some early spring rain and colder temperatures. Even the wind was already starting to pick up and bring about a colder chill. Midgar weather could be quite spontaneous; last year they had a blizzard in the middle of March! That had definitely been an interesting year.

Cloud shivered from inside the pocket, rubbing his bare arms with his little hands. He may have that scarf draped loose over his neck, but it wasn't enough to warm the lower areas of his arms and hands. Even if the sleeves of his shirt were long enough to descend past his elbows, it didn't protect any of the other flesh from the cool bite.

He crawled out of the pocket with a whine to get his master's attention, whom was quick to understand what he wanted. So his arms curled around the chilled dragon and pressed him against his chest to warm him. Zack was just about to head inside until a voice stopped him in the middle and had him turn back around.

"Zack!" Steiner called, making his way across the street from his shop to their own.

"Steiner, what's up?" The young teen inquired.

"Here." The former knight stated, holding out a book. "I promised I would get it to you today." He reminded with a grin.

At first, Zack was perplexed at the book. But his eyes lit up with realization within seconds. That was the book Steiner told him he would check out and lend to him! It had information of Cloud's dragon breed, possibly. Either the young hatchling wasn't the type of dragon he speculated to be, or he was and already knew all he could, book's help or not. He was quick to unravel one arm from his fledgling and accept the book.

"You can return it to me tomorrow, so read it over tonight. Don't dory about bringing it back sooner, I'm going to close up shop early today. We're in for a bad thunderstorm soon anyways." Steiner explained with a smile. He bade them a quick wave. "See you later." With that, he made his way back to his own shop.

From in the distance, Zack could see Vivi sealing up the awning and tying things down for the approaching storm. Another glance around the marketplace showed him that others were doing the same. He glanced back up to the sky, shocked when dark clouds had already covered up the once ephemeral blue. He could hear some thunder rumbling from very far off in the sky. That storm might be over them within the hour, if not sooner or later.

He thought he should probably close up shop too. Angeal would probably agree if he told him. The dragon handler was quick to deposit Cloud into his apron pocket carefully and set the book down, then close the flap of the awning. It covered up the front and sides of the venue, fitting it like a glove. He then tied the awning cover to a few posts behind him with rope, knotting it tightly enough that it would not blow open with high winds.

With that, he picked up the book and bounded out of the notch. He swiftly maneuvered through the workshop and shrugged off his apron and gloves before hanging them up where they went. Zack was quick to collect Cloud from the pocket and place him on his shoulder softly. Angeal had just finished up an order and was glancing to his nephew curiously.

"Steiner informed me a severe storm was supposed to be coming in later this afternoon." He enlightened.

"I was wondering why I heard you closing up. But if that's the case, I trust your judgment, and Steiner's too." The older man responded. He pulled away from the anvil, removing his own apron and gloves before adding, "I'll get started on the lunch then. Huh, feels like that's all I've been doing lately. Working and making lunch. Weird." He commented, as if he was aware of something he shouldn't be.

"I've noticed that too. I think you need a hobby besides working and cooking." Zack commented as he arched an eyebrow. "Hey! Why don't you try playing the piano again?" He added in a chipper tone.

"I would, but I don't have one anymore. Those days are gone now." Angeal responded quietly. He then excused himself without another word.

Genesis huffed at the reminder from the past, a small and tight frown on his snout before he blew a puff of smoke. He followed his handler out of the shop, but only until the living room. Zack followed after the big dragon, watching briefly as he saw the Kazilik blow a small ball of fire into the fireplace, catching the wood inside ablaze. Once the fire was crackling and popping, he curled up into a ball against the rug in front of it, content with lazing out by the fire.

Instead of rushing to his room to read the book, he decided to stay in the living room and be close with everyone else, maybe even give Cloud a chance to get acquainted better with Genesis. He took the hatchling from his shoulder and carefully placed him on the ground. The little once glanced behind him by leaning his head back until his eyes connected with his master's. He gave him a confused squeak, wondering why he was put down.

Zack gently pushed Cloud closer to Genesis with a small smile on his face. "Why don't you go see if Gen will play with you? He looks kinda lonely by that fire all by himself, don't you think?" He prodded gently.

Cloud got the hint with a peppier squeal. He stood up from the floor and toddled his way over to the overgrown beast by the fire, his tail helping him keep his balance. Genesis peeled open one eyelid when he heard the little dragon approaching him, keeping those glowing yellow eyes on him. He watched the little one lose balance and fall over with almost every step he took on his own, head moving as well as his glowing eyes. Even when the little one plopped down on his rear right next to him and squeaked at him, he still gave him a look before shrugging it off softly.

The Kazilik responded with a gentle growl, his spiked tail twitching gently as the tiniest of smirks pulled at his snout. That made the hatchling titter happily before he leaned over and draped himself over the other dragon's spiked head. Genesis made a little annoyed growl, but the smirk on his snout never vanished. He let the little one climb over him like a jungle gym, fingers trailing over his horns, a white tail dangling in his face. His paw-like feet pressed into his back, and it honestly felt like some kind of dragon-lead massage session.

That baby dragon may be one slow-learning and klutzy walker, but he was a much better climber. He didn't pull anything or tug his horns too hard, as if he had been climbing for months rather than just a measly two days. It's like he was an older dragon taking shelter in a newborn's body; making him good at things older babes could do, but terrible at things fresh hatchlings were good at.

The tuft of golden yellow fur on the tip of his tail tickled against the older dragon's nostrils. Genesis sputtered out a powerful sneeze, making Cloud lose his balance and tumble down his back, avoiding the spikes as he tumbled. He rolled off via the large tail, sitting on his rear upright with a dazed look on his face. Then be broke out into happy squeaking as he clapped his clawed hands together. Genesis even throatily chuckled before his tail swiped around the little one, wrapping him up and hoisting him into the air. The little hatchling was all smiles and giggles at that.

Zack watched the display with a smile on his face, his thoughts the same as Genesis's even without a connection between them. He then sat down on the couch and pulled the book to his lap. He traced his fingers over the hardback cover, dragons engraved on the surface. He flipped open the cover to discover the title of the book inside.

'Dragon Lore, Legends, Fables, and Tales.' Wait, was this some kind of storybook about mere myths? He turned to the first chapter, where the title there spelled out the words, 'The Legend of the Loch Ness monster; fact or fiction?'. Zack almost wanted to groan out loud but contained it by biting his bottom lip. He only skimmed through that article to see what kind of book this would really be. The chapter told of the Loch Ness monster myth, stories, and lore before it speculated on what kind of beast or dragon it was. Then the chapter presented facts, fiction, and evidence to conclude it if really existed or not.

Apparently, it had over five hundred years ago and half of its skeleton had been found and put on display in the town it was discovered in, which happened to be the country of Wutai, on the other side of the world. It then branched off into facts or rumored truths about what they looked like in person, how big they got, and if they had any powers or not.

So it was like a book of both the lore and the facts about ancient beasts and dragons from hundreds of years ago. This renewed Zack's sense of hope and he started to skim through the book, glancing over each chapter briefly before turning to the next. Then he found the shortest article in the book, only two pages long.

And it was over a dragon breed known as a Re Nuvole.

The young teen was both deflated and determined all at the same time. The breed was actually in this book, but there was next to nothing known about it like the other beasts. Regardless, his eyes quickly glanced over the contents. It told of how big they could get, knew that. It spoke of how their appearance were similar to Petite-des-Ceuix's but differed with extra red lines and tufts of fur, also knew that. It explained how Re Nuvole's were rumored to spit pearls, and more than just the ones made out of their own eggshells. Zack learned that just last night. So far, he already knew everything this book told and he was growing more and more discouraged the closer he got to the end of the article.

But then he came across something he sort of didn't know. It spoke of the mark on their foreheads being an actual gem, usually varying from a garnet to a ruby. Depending on the marks under their eyes, it determined what kind of jewel rest in their heads. If they had two, it was a garnet. If they had three, it was a ruby.

Zack glanced up from the book and towards his dragon. The little hatchling was still playing with Genesis, whom was using his tail mostly and keeping his face near his fire. With a quick glance, he determined his dragon had three marks under his eyes. Therefore, a ruby was the gem on his forehead. He glanced back to the book to read more.

Apparently, in full dragon form, they had both rubies or garnets and sapphires within the velvety cream-colored coating between the spines of their wings. These jewels could be removed from both the dragon's wings and forehead, which made Re Nuvole's hunted and poached for their gems. Removing the jewels on their wings rumored to have no effect to the beast's wellbeing, but removing the jewel on their head cost them their life. Therefore, most of these beasts were hunted to near extinction over four hundred years ago and the people that knew about them had died out. They were considered to be a very rare dragon breed, but not much else was known about them. There were rumors of some spare eggs surviving in hidden mountain caves or underground tunnels, but they had yet to be confirmed.

The last bit of information the book offered was that Re Nuvole's were pearl-spitters. Again, something Zack knew already. It explained that they could not only spit pearls from their own eggshells, but from any other kind of shell and throughout their entire lives. That was the part that had him more intrigued. So Cloud could continue to spit pearls as along as he just ingested more eggs or shells of the like! That was something he couldn't let anyone find out about. Well, he couldn't let anyone else know he really did possess a rare and rumored Re Nuvole. Aside from Angeal, Genesis, and Steiner, no one else could know. Who knows what kind of people would be out for his jewel, or the babe himself just because he was rare!

Zack shut the book with a soft 'plop' noise, setting it on the coffee table in front of him before he leaned against the back of the couch for a moment. He already knew most of that information, but to also learn Cloud had more than one jewel, and the fact he could still spit pearls throughout his life, that just iced the cake. He _was_ a Re Nuvole, no doubt about it now. He was a rare dragon and he had to protect him from all the scum in the kingdom. There were still a large amount of poachers and thieves meandering about the streets, he couldn't take any risks.

He glanced ahead of him with clouded eyes, seeing what was in front of him, but keeping that information in his sights as well. Cloud was lifting up one of Genesis's wings and inspecting it thoroughly, feeling the spines, the velvety skin in between them, and even hiding himself under it. The Kazilik continued to stare into the fire he made, but he kept a small smirk on his snout at all times while the little one played on him.

He was going to keep that dragon of his safe, everything else be damned. He may not know a Re Nuvole's dietary habits, powers, abilities, or temperaments, but he was going to figure them out and compile an entry all on his own. Just in case other eggs happened to be found, like his.

He no longer cared if his hatchling was an herbivore or not, and he barely cared about getting into the Dragon Army anymore. If he got in somehow, more power to him. But if not, then so be it. But he still entertained that thought in his head. It was something he had wanted for a while. Although, if they did get in, it would teach them both how to fight and protect themselves and others. Perhaps he could get in as just an enlisted? Still require training and combat knowledge, but not be sent out on missions or other tasks of the like. Basically, a city-bound militia man only called to battle when war arises. He could do that at the very least.

Cloud stopped playing with Genesis's wing and slid down his neck, sitting on his head and glancing at him upside-down with a welcoming squeak. The Kazilik huffed through his nostrils gently, the smirk on his snout turning into a smile by this point, already warmed up to the small tyke. Howling could then be heard from outside, making the dragons and Zack glance all around them silently. A soft patter of rain could be heard as well, thunder purring like a dragon from above. The storm had finally caught up to them and was now hanging overhead for a while. How long it would last, no one really knew yet.

The rain started to come down hard within a matter of seconds, sounding less like pattering and more like a howling gust or the rustling of trees in a violent wind. The thunder continued to quietly purr, the sounds muted by the wood and structure of the house and shop. Cloud was looking up at the tall ceiling and squeaking curiously, wondering what those sounds were. He gently climbed off Genesis and started toddling his way over to Zack, his locomotion still wobbly and unrefined. He ended up falling more than walking, but he stopped right next to him and curled his little hands around his master's pant leg, tugging at it gently to get his attention.

"It's just raining, Cloud." Zack responded as he stood up from the couch before he leaned down and picked the little foot-tall dragon babe up.

He cradled him in his arms and took him towards the window in the room, in front of the stairs and on the left side of them. The rain was sliding down the glass pain like multitudes of tear tracks, and the rest of it could be seen quenching the parched earth below and beyond their window. The humanoid dragon gently pressed his small hands to the cool glass window, his mouth slightly ajar as he inhaled quietly. His cerulean eyes were full of awe and wonder, never having seen the rain before. He was glancing all around as the watched the little drops slither down the pane, even trying to bat at the trails with his clawed hands.

But the cute display was all over when a loud crash of thunder echoed like a massive roar from a mighty dragon. Cloud squealed loudly and started to squirm, trying to peel away from the window as he fought in his handler's arms.

"Woah, woah, hey! Calm down Cloud, it's alright." Zack eased, pulling the little dragon away from the window as he focused on keeping him from squirming out of his grasp.

The baby Re Nuvole was quick to climb up his chest and curl around his neck, burying himself in his master's thick black hair. His tail curled easily and loosely around his neck like a chain as he whimpered and squeaked. Zack's arm hooked over his shoulder as he gently ran his hand across his dragon's clothed back comfortingly. He stepped away from the window and sat himself by the fireplace next to Genesis, who looked at him briefly before shutting his eyes with a gentle snort.

"Don't be scared, Cloud. It's just a silly ole thunderstorm. Genesis isn't afraid of it." Zak reassured. He continued to gently stroke and pat the babe's back.

The Kazilik huffed gently in response. Cloud gently poked his head out from those black locks and glanced around the living room, as if the storm was actually inside rather than out. He cautiously scaled down his handler's arm and into his lap instead, where he found great pleasure in slithering into the large pocket in the front of his tunic with a quiet squeak. There was now a Cloud-sized lump hiding within, save for a long white tail hanging outside and remaining still. Zack gently ran his hand over the lumpy pocket, smiling softly as he did so.

Another crash of loud thunder had the baby dragon squeal and whine, cowering closer to his handler from inside the pouch-like opening. Surprisingly, Genesis's tail wrapped around Zack and patted the lump in his pocket, the large beast growling softly. That was enough for Cloud to stick his head out from the other side of the pocket and glance behind him at the large red and black colored beast.

"Aww, you're being nice Gen! Change of heart?" Zack smirked as he patted both the Kazilik's head and Cloud's too, to keep the little one from getting jealous. –like he had done while in egg phase when he was reading about a different dragon breed.

Genesis growled in sort of a 'maybe' tone as the soft part of his tail gently patted at the Re Nuvole's spiky blond hair. The young teen lightly leaned against the big dragon with a relaxed sigh, his hands cradled around his baby dragon coiled up in his pocket like a loose spring. The large tail continued to stay curled around the teenager and the hatchling, all three of them closing their eyes and enjoying the warmth from the fireplace. Zack absently played with the soft pink pads of Cloud's tiny dragon feet while he kept his eyes closed.

As he kept his eyes shut, thunder growled loudly in the sky before cracking like a loud clap. The sound, mixed with his closed eyes, brought a hazy vision to surface: A black and yellow dragon charging toward him. Another clap echoed throughout the sky. A new image painted behind his eyelids: Fire roaring loudly in a small room.

 _Clap_! Genesis tackling the black and yellow dragon.

 _Clap_! His mother.

 _Clap_! The vision of his mother's dragon sitting beside her when Genesis was hatching.

 _Clap_! The same dragon charging at him again, his mother's Flamme-de-Gloire, Noira, charging at him.

His eyelids pried open quickly, glancing all around him and frowning curiously. What were those images, and why were they flashing through his head like that? His eyes gazed out the rain-stained window for a moment, as if the wet pane had the answers he needed. However, he dismissively shrugged and closed his eyes again, relaxing and forgetting he ever saw those images.

They weren't sure who dozed off first, but the light snoring caused a wave of drowsiness to hang over the rest like a blanket. By the time Angeal came out of the kitchen to inform them lunch was ready, he just stopped and smirked. He smiled at the sight of Zack leaning against Genesis, whose tail was wrapped around the teen plus Cloud. All three of them napped against one another by the fireplace, the storm lessening and only providing a soothing rain for the sleepy individuals inside.

 _Toy dragons spin above his head, colors of green, blue, and red circling high above him. He reaches out with tiny hands, he wants to catch those swirling dragons and hold them close as if they were the real thing. He grunts in effort, stretching his arms out as far as they can go to see if he can reach. He tries harder, and a little harder. He tries with all his might, going so far as to arch his back from his bed and grunt some more. However, those playful dragons remain far from his desperate hands._

 _Tears swell in his eyes, his vision blurs and objects are smeared because of their translucence. He blinks and whines, eyes clearing as he tries one more time to reach up and catch those spinning, singing dragons. He wants to spin with them, sing with them. He has to admit defeat at long last. He tosses his arms back down on either side of his body with a whine and a pout. Only then does he realize the shadows of bars are cast across his small frame. His confinement is small, but bigger than even he. He glances around, wondering if he can get to those dragons any other way._

 _If he could not grab them and pull them down, why not pull himself up and touch them? He tries, forgetting he is much too little to get up like others. His abdominal muscles aren't strong enough to allow him to sit up fully. He only grunts and falls over on his side. Distress enters him again when he realizes there is simply no way for him to spin and sing with those colorful toy dragons circling above his head. He whines as he knows his struggling was all for not._

 _However, his upset cries bring about a familiar face. He glances up from his side and to his right where a bright happy beacon beamed at him. A smile lights across his face at the sight of the young woman. Long black hair decorated in a braid and thrown over her slender shoulder. Bright cornflower blue eyes shimmer brightly in the daylight, the faintest traces of light colored freckles dot under her eyes at the fullest part of her cheekbones. His wonderful mother._

 _She holds up an object and gently shakes it. The toy sings happily in the form of a rattle. A happy looking green dragon smiles down at him as well, a plush creature he loves almost as much as her. He reaches up with his hands, unable to join the spinning dragons above, but able to have this one in their stead. She eases the pickle-green toy into his barred-bed; his cradle. He curls his expectant hands around the soft, fleecy toy. It purrs under his touch, the velvet, red forked tongue brushes over his plump cheek._

 _He happily laughs and hugs his favorite companion close, his sadness completely gone with joy to replace it. She gazes down at him, arms over the top rail, and smiles. She's beaming with pride and love; her eyes reflect the emotions with ease. Mirrors to her soul with her heart on her sleeve. Aside from his dragon toy, she is his world. Cue another part of it leaning in._

 _A familiar face he knows well; Black hair like hers, but shorter and parted down the middle. Eyes much deeper and darker, like that of a soothing midnight sky in the summer. Stern-shaped face, but genuine and kind-hearted eyes. Skin is much more pale than his mother's and his own, but body is much broader and taller. His caring uncle._

 _"_ _Can you believe he's only a month old? He's just got so much energy already." She states, her eyes glance away towards his uncle for a brief moment, then they are all back on him again._

 _"_ _He already has a love for dragons too." He comments, gently reaching into his cradle to tickle his cheek._

 _He laughs and gurgles, hides the rest of his face being his pickle-colored companion. His laughter causes a smile to spread across his uncle's face easily, as well as his mother. The hand retreats back to the side of its' owner, bright eyes never dulling as they glanced at him. However, he breaks eye contact with him and gazes at his mother._

 _"_ _How's Noira taking the new addition?" He asks, his eyes pull into a tight frown at the mention._

 _"_ _She's…" She pauses, hesitance thick in her voice. "She's not taking it well at all." She concludes with a somber tone._

 _He has to glance up from his stuffed friend and coo curiously at his mother and uncle. Too young to understand them, but wanting to hear them regardless._

 _"_ _Ever since Zack was born she's just become, violent. She screeches whenever she sees him, and if she hears me giving him attention when she's around, she'll try to….Try to…"_

 _"_ _Try to what, Sophia?"_

 _"_ _She'll try to burn him." She finishes, parental worry brimming in her voice._

 _"_ _That's…Not good." He comments, not sure what to say at hearing those harsh words. "You knew this would happen, though, didn't you?" He prods gently._

 _She does not look at him. He continues to look up from mother and uncle curiously, wondering why they looked so sad all of a sudden._

 _"_ _You knew it was bad. So why?" He tries, hoping to get an answer from his sister._

 _"_ _I suppose I'm just like you. I didn't want to be_ just _a Dragon Handler anymore. I wanted to be a mother. I tried, hoping she'd accept him. But she didn't." She answers sullenly._

 _The sullen moment is ruined with harsh screeching. He remembers this screeching, but it's even worse than his young mind ever remembers it being. He can hear how it's tinted with anger and jealousy. He can hear it directed at him, it always is. He doesn't understand. He likes her, why doesn't she like him? The sounds get louder; he can hear the threats in each shriek._

 _He starts to cry, he learns very early on that to block out the sounds, he slams his hands over his ears. He sees his mother about to comfort him, but something drastic changes. The room is suddenly alight with bright light and intense heat. His mother screams, his uncle shouts something. The noises, the heat, the light, it's simply too much. He starts wailing, his singing, spinning dragons silent even as they circled his head._

 _"_ _Noira! What's wrong with you!?" His mother shrieks._

 _The dragon cries out, able to paint the nursery room in flames and heat. Orange, red, and yellow laps at the walls, the floor and even the walls are starting to slither up the cracks and burn away at the ceiling._

 _"_ _Noira! Stop!" His mother shouts over the roaring fire._

 _"_ _Genesis! Help!" His uncle cries over the flames._

 _He is scared, he is terrified. He is all of this and more as he wails as loud as he possibly can. Another set of growls enter, ones that sound familiar. He dares to open his eyes and glance to his left. From between the bars, he sees Noira, the dragon who hates him, inching towards his cradle with crazed lavender eyes. Another dragon screeches to a stop in front of the door's open room, growling savagely and ferociously._

 _The red and black-ringed dragon that belongs to his uncle; Genesis. The crimson beast lets out a protective shriek and charges into the black and yellow-bodied beast. They tumble into the room painted orange and red with flames, screeching and growling loudly over the dull roar of the fire._

 _Genesis has Noira pinned under his claws. He's using his spiked tail to slam down on the other dragon's face and upturned chest. The black and yellow dragon lashes out with a screech, bucking the other off and regaining former ground. She shrieks and starts to slink close to his cradle again, jaws parted and sharp teeth ready to bite. Genesis hurls himself through the air, tackling the beast to the ground again. He wastes no time, quickly drilling long, sharp fangs into the dragon's snout._

 _"_ _Sophia, we need to leave! Now! Hurry!" Angeal reminds quickly while the tussling dragons are distracted with the other._

 _However, his mother is frozen in fear. She is incapable of moving. The fire, her dragon, it's all making her freeze on the spot and she cannot even think straight._

 _Noira kicks Genesis off with a determined shriek. She is through playing around. She scrambles to her feet and lets out a mighty roar before she charges her large body straight into his cradle. The whole thing shoots to the side, tipping over as shards of wood come snapping off and flying through the roaring, flame-coated air. He falls against the wood floor with a thud and a pained grunt, his companion soaring out of his hand and against the floor by his frozen mother's feet._

 _The pain is instantaneous, erupting from his head and all down his right side. He bursts to life with wails and howls, tears flowing from his face like a waterfall. He glances up to his mother, only to have a completely different sight meet his eyes. Noira lashes out, belching out flames directly from her mouth. The fire originally aimed at him, but the stream never hits him. Instead, his mother finally reacts with a strong cry of his name and her body thrown over him. The blast hits her directly and she goes down with a pained scream, but she expires with a content look on her face. She knows she protected her baby with her life, and she's okay with that ending._

 _Before anything further could be seen, his uncle lets loose with a cry of broken determination, grabbing ahold of him from under his dead mother's pin and his fallen toy quickly before shielding his eyes and holding him close. He is out of harm's way for now, but the same could not be said about his mother. The flames rage on, melting and scorching everything it touched within the nursery._

 _Noira and Genesis are wrestling around against the ground, growling and knocking things over. Bites and blows are exchanged, each dragon weighing their own wounds. The Kazilik is littered with bites and burn marks across his scaled skin, drops of blood from his forearms and pulsing from his right eye. Noira is colored in more red than yellow, she limps as she growls and snarls, but she is unrelenting and refuses to back down. They lunge at one another and tip the furniture and knock over toys of the like, the greedy flames consumes each object._

 _He hears Angeal cry out in distress, howling into the fire. He may be young, and rather confused, but he knows. His mother is no longer with them and the dragons that he knows and loves are just terrifying strangers in his eyes._

 _"_ _Genesis…You have to finish Noira off! She can't stop and she's gone mad!" He shouted over the fire, dashing from the flaming room to get him to safety._

 _The two dragons continued to wrestle around, fighting to the bitter death in a room about to collapse in smoke and ash. Even from over his own cries, he can eventually hear the dying screech from Noira; the dragon whom he only wanted to be friends with._

 _"_ _Aaahhh!"_ Zack awoke in the middle of screaming, eyes flashing open as his heart started to beat in triple its normal tempo.

His breaths were heavy as he wheezed and gasped rather than inhaled and exhaled. Tears streaked down his sapphire eyes without him even realizing it. His outburst caused the dragon supporting his body him to let out an alarmed growl and glance behind him, gauging his condition with a gentle rumble. Even the little hatchling in his lap came to with a start, squeaking gently as he woke.

Zack had to glance around the room, curious when he woke up in the living room. But memory final caught up to his panicked brain when he recalled he had fallen asleep against Genesis not too long ago. Had that all been a dream then? It felt way too real to be a dream. He could feel the heat from the fire on his skin, he could feel the panic from the fight between the two beasts, and he could feel the pain from being thrown to the ground. He could feel everything as if it just happened.

"Zack? Are you alright?!" Angeal quickly asked, dropping the book he was reading before standing up from the living room couch and hurrying over to his nephew's side.

"Angeal?" His tired and frightened voice croaked, wide blue eyes connecting to his uncle's.

"What's wrong? Talk to me." The older man pressed, gently taking the younger boy's chin in his hand and tenderly pivoting his face from side to side, as if inspecting his condition.

"Is…Is my mother dead because of me?"

The question was almost like a slap in the face for Angeal. His midnight eyes widened considerably widened and he leaned back a little bit. Cloud however, sensed the uneasiness and the stress in his handler's voice and core. He squeaked and whined, crawling out of his pocket and scaling up his shirt, clinging to the chest of it as a concerned pout washed over his face. Genesis snorted softly, glowing eyes without their edge gazed at the haggard teen. His uncle was quick to correct the shock from his face and put it into a tight frown.

"Zack, it is _not_ your fault your mother died. I don't know how, but you obviously remember what happened that day, am I right?"

Zack nodded his head silently. Cloud tried to comfort his handler by patting his cheeks and trying to brush the tears from them, squeaking quietly. Even Genesis attempted to console him, tightening his grip on the teen with his tail.

"It is not your fault, okay? Noira just…Didn't know how to get along with you." Angeal assured, gently running his larger hand through his nephew's black hair.

It was silent between the two humans and dragons, but only for a moment.

"Let me ask you something real quick. Have you ever seen _any_ other Dragon Handlers with children?" Angeal inquired.

Zack shook his head no, having a strange feeling in his gut that told him why that was so.

"You know why those handlers don't have families? It's because they _can't._ It's not physically impossible, but it's not good for both the handler, or the dragon. It creates a rift between the two when other parties get involved and wedge themselves in between their connection. The dragons feel as though the new addition will pry them away from their masters. So they do whatever they can to sever the interference.

Noira didn't like you because she thought you were taking your mother away from her. It happens to all individuals that have children and dragons at the same time. A handler can never separate themselves from their dragon, if they do, the child will go down, followed by the dragon. It's a touchy subject." Angeal explained, continuing to comfort his nephew with his hands through his hair.

"Then… _Why'd_ she have me _knowing_ I'd cause a rift!?" Zack shouted as his voice cracked.

"She wanted to be _more_ than a handler, just like I did at first. She wanted to be a mother. She wanted to try. But, I've come to learn that those with the mark of the dragon can only walk the path of a dragon." Angeal explained, gently cupping his nephew's head in his hands and pulled him forward, gently burying his face into those black locks. "Just know that she wanted you and protected you, regardless of what it would cost her."

He gently released the younger teen from his comforting embrace, going to place his hands on his shoulders instead. He gave him a supportive and reassuring smile. "Don't dwell on that too much, alright? You're alive and you're loved." He added, patting his shoulders before he let go softly.

Cloud squeaked a little louder, trying to get his master's attention. Zack glanced down at the baby dragon with barely a smile. The little Re Nuvole squeaked louder, patting his cheeks before he gently headbutted his chin, rubbing his face against his handler's to help him feel better. He even sent waves of comfort and security through him, for them to vibrate though the teen's core.

The young handler smiled a little brighter, wrapping his arms around his dragon as he leaned back into Genesis slowly. The Kazilik growled at him in a concerned fashion, his usual fierce eyes very soft and glowing gently.

"Thanks guys." Zack acknowledged as his bright smile and shining sapphire eyes returned. "I'm alright."

* * *

A/N: That's where this one will be stopping for now! I hope you enjoyed it! Don't forget to leave feedback and let me know what you thought, okay?

Oh, and about that thing I mentioned at the top, The things I wanted to express to you guys was I've revamped my profile, and on it, I've listed all of my stories I'm currently working on (Underneath a dumbass-ly written life thingamajig). Here's the thing; some of them are in some dire need of some reader's input for their future. Some have been deleted, but they can be salvaged. There are even two new story ideas I've been mulling over for some time, so input on that would be awesome too! You can find the details on my profile. Every bit counts, so thank you in advance if you decide to lend a voice. (Oh, and don't be afraid to spam fuck my PM's with your thoughts, because I'd like to hear as much as I can! [[Unless you're trying to sell me something, then please don't spam fuck my PM's!]])

Otherwise, Hope you liked the chapter, and I'll see you in the next update!  
Toodles!


End file.
